Three men charged with murder in 8-year-old’s death headed for trial

Three men charged with murder in the death of an 8-year-old boy last year are expected to go on trial this week in Peach County.

Jai’Mel Anderson was fatally wounded Jan. 6, 2015 when bullets flew through the front door of a Fort Valley apartment.

Clad in his pajamas, Jai’Mel had stayed up late to watch television on an air mattress in the living room. He was shot once in the leg and once in the upper torso about 1:40 a.m.

The boy was rushed by ambulance to the Medical Center of Peach County, Navicent Health, where he was pronounced dead at 2:25 a.m.

Dennis Ray Eason, 25, of Fort Valley, Kristian Jamal Wipfel, 21, of Macon, and Tevin Juwan Sams, 22, of Macon, pleaded not guilty at their arraignments.

“Our law says that these guys are presumed to be innocent ... I would really hope that people remember that the law requires that,” said Brian Tevis, an Atlanta attorney representing Eason. “It’s not just an attorney thing. The judge is going to instruct the jury the same way.”

Tevis declined to comment on the facts of the case and his defense strategy.

“We’re looking forward to our day in court, and that’s the only way to resolve these issues where we don’t agree,” Tevis said.

Eason, Wipfel and Sams are each facing a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of malice or felony murder in the boy’s death. Felony murder is when someone dies in the commission of another felony such as aggravated assault.

The only other possible sentencing option if convicted of murder is life with the possibility of parole, which requires serving 30 years before being eligible for parole consideration.

Co-defendants Antonio Darrelle Garvin, 21, and Jeremy Quillen Jackson, 26, both of Macon, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault in connection with boy’s death.

Both Garvin and Jackson originally had been charged with murder. Part of the plea agreement for both men included truthful testimony at trial against the co-defendants. Their sentencing hearings are pending.

The final co-defendant, De’Jad Williams, 24, who was taking care of the boy when he was shot, is pending trial on a charge of murder in the second degree in the boy’s death.

Williams, who was dating Jai’Mel’s mother at the time of the shooting, is accused of encouraging and engaging in threats and aggravated assaults involving a firearm by text messages with Eason shortly before the shooting, police said.

The shooting struck a nerve in the community, with an outpouring of support demonstrated toward Jai’Mel’s family. A rally and separate candlelight vigil in honor of the boy were well-attended.

Jai’Mel was a third-grader at Westside Elementary School in Warner Robins.

“He was such a kind boy with an infectious smile,” school Principal Cynthia Hammond said in a statement at the time of his death.

“He enjoyed playing football and basketball during recess and took pride in his school work. He was loved by his family, friends, teachers and administrators,” she said.

He played on an All-Star football team, his family said.

Jury selection is expected Monday. Superior Court Judge Tripp Self of the Macon Judicial Circuit is presiding. The circuit includes Peach County.

Efforts to reach Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Bobbitt, the lead prosecutor on the case; Wipfel’s Macon attorney, Andrew Foster; and Sams’ Macon attorney, Deborah Gomez; were unsuccessful.

This story was originally published August 28, 2016 at 6:56 PM with the headline "Three men charged with murder in 8-year-old’s death headed for trial."