Monday in Madison County Justice Court all three accused of the May 18th death of 6-year-old Kingston Frazier were bound to the Grand Jury.
Byron McBride, 19, D’Allen Washington, 17, and Dewan Wakefield, 17, are all facing capital murder charges in the death of the boy.
The teens appeared before Judge Bruce McKinley in three separate hearings to determine whether the case would be taken before a Grand Jury.
The only witness called to the stand for each hearing was Mississippi Bureau of Investigation Agent, Trent Weeks. Weeks is the lead investigator on the case.
The morning’s proceeding began with Byron McBride’s hearing. Because of his age, 19, he is the only one of the men who could face the death penalty if convicted.
Since his arrest, McBride has also confessed to investigators that he was the one that killed Kingston, after originally pointing the finger at Washington, according Weeks’ testimony. He is being represented by Scott Johnson.
In all of the hearings, the initial questioning was done by Madison County Prosecuting Attorney Pamela Hancock. Investigator Weeks gave a detailed explanation of the Kroger video evidence, as well as crime scene evidence that is currently available to them.
What investigators do know:
Weeks testified that in the Kroger video from the night Kingston was abducted a Silver two door Honda pulled into the parking lot. This is the car that Wakefield, Washington, and McBride are assumed to originally have been in. However, Weeks said that in the video investigators are not able to clearly see how many people are in the silver car or their identities.
Several minutes after the silver car arrived, a Camry, driven by Kingston’s mother, pulled in and parked in the parking lot. She then exited the vehicle, and left it running.
Weeks said that not long after she was inside the Kroger, a black male is seen getting out of the silver Honda and walked over to the front of the Camry. The man then walked back to the silver Honda and opened the door. Weeks said he did not appear to get in the vehicle, but he is seen leaning in. The man then shuts the door, and walked back to the Camry. He walked to the front, then around to the back before opening the drivers side door, getting in and driving off.
Kingston was found later that morning, dead in the Camry, after a 911 call was made to Madison County Authorities.
Investigators also uncovered more video at the Shell gas station on Hanging Moss Road and the Wendy’s off of Northside Drive. In the gas station footage, Wakefield is clearly seen getting out of the silver Honda and talking to a different unidentified black man.
The Wendy’s footage shows a similar two door silver Honda driving by. Investigators have not been able to confirm if that was the same vehicle driven by Wakefield.
Weeks said that phone records of the three men were requested and sent to the crime lab. Analysis is pending on all evidence.
RELATED: A community gathers to mourn the loss of Kingston Frazier
What suspects told investigators:
Weeks testified that only Wakefield and McBride made statements to the police. All had waved their rights upon arrest.
Washington was the only one who turned himself in by an escort of the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department and hist attorney, Warren Martin. He did not make a statement with authorities when he was arrested.
McBride’s Statement:
According to Weeks, McBride has changed his statement three times. Originally he told police he had nothing to do with the child’s death or the car theft. He then changed his story and said he was with Wakefield and Washington at the Kroger parking lot. He said upon discovering Kingston was in the backseat of the running vehicle the other two men still encouraged him to take the vehicle. McBride recalled that they all drove down I-55 toward the Nissan plant before pulling over. At which time he claimed that he and Washington switched vehicles and Washington shot Kingston. They then traded back and dumped the car.
The third time he made a statement, he told investigators he did in fact kill Kingston Frazier.
Wakefeild’s Statement:
Wakefield was the first of the three men to be arrested. When picked up, he waved his rights and chose to give officers a statement. Week’s testified that Wakefield admitted he was in the silver Honda with Washington and McBride. They were scheduled to sell marijuana to someone at the Kroger on I-55 that night. Wakefield told police that upon seeing woman leave her Camry running in the parking lot, McBride got out of the silver Honda and walked over.
He said when McBride returned he grabbed his things, told them it was “his girls car” and he was going to Holmes County, where he lived. Week’s said Wakefield then claimed he and Washington drove to the Wendy’s on Northside Drive to sell the drugs.
Weeks confirmed that investigators were able to confirm this with the person the men sold the weed to.
Wakefield told investigators after the drug deal he received a phone call from McBride to come pick him up in Gluckstadt and that he was going to “off the kid.” He claimed that he encouraged McBride not to do that, but to drop the kid off somewhere else.
Wakefield and Washington then retrieved McBride from a dead end road in Gluckstadt, where the Camry was abandoned.
Wakefield’s Attorney, Tom Fortner argued that his client was not part of the murder, and that while the investigation needed to continue, his client should be released on a reasonable bond. His requests were denied.
No date was set for the Grand Jury appearance but Madison County District Attorney Michael Guest said he expects it to be sometime around August or September.
RELATED: No Bond for teens charged in Kingston killing
