Jail inmate accused of second slaying
A man sitting in the county jail on a murder charge for more than a year has been accused of a second killing from 2007, Charleston police said.
Detectives served warrants on Vernon Deas, 19, on Wednesday for murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.
The new charges relate to the fatal shooting of Devin Edwards, 20, on the upper peninsula, police said. A few minutes before 11 p.m. on Sept. 23, 2007, a gunfire detection system alerted police to shots at Hanover and Johnson streets.
Officers found Edwards lying on the sidewalk bleeding, a police report says. The 20-year-old had suffered several gunshot wounds and later died, the Charleston County Coroner's Office said.
Police and U.S. Marshals arrested Deas at a Franklin Street apartment Oct. 23 of last year in connection with a shooting on Line Street on Charleston's East Side. Leroy Simmons Jr., 30, died in that incident.
A murder warrant affidavit says Simmons was waiting for a cab on Line Street around 2:30 a.m. Oct. 19 when Deas approached him. After a fight, Simmons fell to the ground and Deas stood over him with a handgun. Deas fired, hitting Simmons three times, the affidavit states. Simmons died a few hours later.
Deas was at the county jail Wednesday awaiting a bond hearing. He will have to request an additional hearing for a circuit judge to set bail because of the severity of the charge.
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Comments
This article has 4 comment(s)
Posted by RTC on November 20, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry, folks, but this guy needs to be put down.
Posted by Girleygirl on November 20, 2008 at 11:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My gosh he is brutal!!!! Agreed RTC and the sad part, he's only 19 years old.......why does all these young folks have so much ANGER in them!!
Posted by MCC on November 20, 2008 at 1:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree RTC, only 19 and accused in TWO MURDERS. Makes me wonder if he has anything to do with any of the other unsolved murders is the city. Folks, he's in jail and he won't be going anywhere so it's ok to snitch!
Posted by msvirgo on November 20, 2008 at 11:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Reading the article of Vernon Deas was very disturbing because he took someone away that was very special to me. Leroy Simmons Jr. was my first cousin and I miss him dearly. There is not a day that goes by that I'm not thinking of him and it hurts even more that he was just snatched away from us at his youthful age. I don't undertand why our young black males are so angry and seem to not have a care in life especially when it comes to their freedom. I hope that justice will be served for Leroy "Mile". R.I.P...LUV U ALWAYS...TONYA AND THE WILSON FAMILY!!!