Charges Dropped In Murder Of Corrections Officer, 2 YO Son
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - For the second time, prosecutors have dropped charges against one of the suspects in the 2010 murder of a state corrections officer from Miami and her 2-year-old son.
Prosecutors said Friday they were forced to drop the charges against 20-year-old Demarcus Alexander, one of 3 men originally charged with the December 14th, 2010 murder of Ciara Lee, 24, and her 2-year-old son Devin Franklin.
Police said witnesses had become uncooperative and little assistance was provided by the community where the shootings happened.
Last January, prosecutors decided not to pursue a case against Henry Ferguson, who was initially arrested on a murder charge. While prosecutors declined comment, Ferguson's attorney said the charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence.
This leaves prosecutors with a single suspect, 24-year-old Tavares Williams, who was arrested in Jacksonville after the murders and returned to Miami.
Police had claimed Alexander, who will remain jailed on an unrelated probation violation charges stormed into Lee's Model City home on NW 73rd Street and open fire in mid-December. Lee and her 2-year old son Devon Franklin died in a hail of bullets. Lee's uncle, 49-year old Tony Lee, was shot in the leg. There were six people in the home at the time of the shooting and police said they found more than 70 casings.
Police said Lee and her family were not the intended targets of the attack and it may have been drug related based on the types of weapons used.
Alexander had been held without bond on two counts of second degree murder and four counts of attempted murder.
