Third person charged with murder in motel killing

A third person has been indicted on murder charges in connection with the slaying of a Warner Robins man outside a motel last summer.

A Houston County grand jury indicted Willie Clarence Walters, 18, of Perry, earlier this week on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Malik Qran Golden and Kendra Tenesha Tillery, both 19 and of Warner Robins, were previously indicted on malice murder charges in the slaying 34-year-old Donell Nathaniel Hawkins.

Hawkins was found dead on the sidewalk in front of room No. 103 of the Budget Inn on Watson Boulevard in Warner Robins about 11 p.m. June 28. He had been shot once in the chest.

Golden and Tillery were re-indicted Tuesday on the same charges as Walters and in the same indictment. The new indictment replaces the old, which was dismissed.

According to an arrest warrant for Tillery, she was accused of luring Hawkins into a position for Golden to shoot him. Golden was initially identified in an arrest warrant as the shooter. However, Walters was subsequently identified as “the person who actually shot” Hawkins, according to his arrest warrant.

Golden and Walters allegedly conspired to rob Hawkins, who had been staying at the motel for about a month and was believed to be selling drugs, according to arrest warrants.

A book bag in which Hawkins reportedly carried marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, prescription drugs and cash was missing at the crime scene. His cellphone was also missing but was later recovered by police. Text messages linked Golden and Tillery, who were dating at the time of the slaying, according to the warrants.

Golden matched the description of a suspect captured on surveillance video, according to the warrants.

Golden and Tillery were arrested Oct. 20 sleeping inside a 2006 Chevrolet Impala parked outside a home in Waterbury, Connecticut.

A fourth person, Ronterious Maurice Napier, 25, of Perry, has been charged with hindering the apprehension or punishment of a criminal. Napier was allegedly overheard telling Tillery over the phone that the gun was “clean” and in a safe place, according an arrest warrant for Napier.

“(Napier) either has concealed in his possession or has destroyed the 9 mm handgun used in the murder” of Hawkins, the warrant said.

In an unrelated case, a Bonaire man was indicted Tuesday on charges of attempted rape, aggravated assault and sexual battery in an alleged assault on a jogger Dec. 17.

Wesley Alexander Davis, 21, is accused of grabbing a 53-year-old woman by the crotch and throwing her to the ground about 5:30 a.m.

The woman, who apparently carried a knife for protection while jogging, stabbed Davis in the struggle, according to the prosecution.

Davis’ attorney, Ashley Deadwyler-Heuman, told a judge at a bond hearing Jan. 12 that Davis had been out “partying, drinking, … hitting on girls” and was headed home that early morning.

“As he’s driving, … he encounters an attractive female jogger,” Deadwyler-Heuman said at the hearing. “He approaches her, he says, with the intent to make a move on her, hit on her. Her story, I think, differs, and she was afraid that he was trying to abduct her, attempt to rape her. She ultimately ends up stabbing him.”

Deadwyler-Heuman described Davis as “extremely remorseful” and “willing to admit his wrong.”

Davis is free on a $10,000 bond pending trial, according to court and jail records.

This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 2:50 PM with the headline "Third person charged with murder in motel killing."