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Monday, 27 June 2011 20:08

No charges pending thus far in botched B&E


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No charges are expected to filed for now against a homeowner who shot and killed a Battleboro teenager who, with three other people, were trying to break in to his home Saturday morning.

Lieutenant Bobby Martin of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office said it is normal in a case such as this to investigate the one doing the shooting despite their home being broken into.

Marqiz Te'vonn Thomas, 17, was killed when he and three other people broke into a house on Highway 481 in the Enfield area.

Thomas, who was on a weekend pass from the Edgecombe Youth Development Center, was shot in the head with his own weapon, which was wrested from him during a struggle with the homeowner.

A source this morning said Thomas was being held in the youth center for a crime similar to what occurred Saturday morning.

Two of the suspects turned themselves in Sunday and authorities continue to look for the third suspect.

Captain Jay Burch said Jasmine Deshaunda Graham's grandmother encouraged the 20-year-old Battleboro girl to do so. Graham turned herself in around 3:30 Sunday afternoon and was jailed on $30,000 bond.

She faces charges of first degree burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery, discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. She was on probation for similar charges in Wake County.

Soon after Graham turned herself in, Diamante Harrell came to the sheriff's office and spoke with Detective J. Puhak, telling him who he was and why he was there.

Harrell was jailed on $100,000 bond and faces the same charges as Graham. He is also on probation for drug charges in Edgecombe County.

The sheriff's office continues to look for the other suspect, who is believed to frequent the Battleboro and Rocky Mount areas.

Burch confirmed the three suspects did fire back after their alleged accomplice was killed by the home owner. That is reflected in the shooting into an occupied dwelling charge. It is not clear who the ringleader was.

The homeowner heard footsteps on the porch and, looking through a peephole, saw the suspects, who kicked in the door.

A fight ensued and the homeowner was able to get Thomas' gun, a .38-caliber weapon, and shoot him in the head. The suspect died instantly.

Burch described the home invasion as a targeted crime and not a random act.

62611Marcus_Bell

The case remains under investigation and investigators are now looking for for Marcus Manquell Bell, 26, of Rocky Mount, who faces the same charges as the other two. Bell is wanted for two counts of communicating threats and driving while license revoked in an unrelated case.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.

Lance Martin

Lance Martin

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