Capital murder suspects remain jailed

BY VICTOR INGE

THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

Four defendants charged with capital murder in connection with the May 17 shooting death of a Potter’s Station man will remain in jail without bond for now.

Defense attorneys argued state prosecutors did not have sufficient evidence to charge their clients, saying police had no idea who their &8220;anonymous witnesses&8221; linking them to the murder of James Whitt, 44. District Judge Robert Armstrong said he would take testimony under advisement and issue a ruling possibly as early as today.

Roderick Blue, 20, Octavius Brown, 21, and Javarez Wiggins, 20, and Demetrius Johnson, 20, will remain held without bond in the Dallas County Jail.

Selma Police Department Det. Frederick Walker testified Thursday in Dallas County District Court that part of the reason the men were apprehended was due to calls authorities received from people who did not wish to be identified.

Police recovered a .380 caliber pistol from a red Ford Taurus, which was registered to Wiggins’ female friend. The vehicle was impounded and has since been returned to its owner.

Walker testified witnesses living in the community &8220;saw three black males, dressed in blue&8221; run past them get into a vehicle and speed off. The victim’s brother told police he got into his vehicle and gave chase, until the alleged robbers fired shots at him.

Walker testified the inside of Whitt’s mobile home had been ransacked, and appeared to have been a home invasion.

Police said after the murder they believed the motive was robbery when Whitt was shot and killed outside the back door of his mobile home. The amount taken was undetermined, police said.

Investigators gathered evidence and identified suspects, but did not have enough evidence to make the arrests until further evidence was gathered. A patrolman responding to a call at Pizza Hut of a person not paying for a soft drink responded to find men fitting the description in a vehicle.