2 Charged In Murder Of 8-Year-Old Oakland Girl
OAKLAND (CBS SF) - Two people have been charged in connection with the murder of 8-year-old Alaysha Carradine, who was shot during a sleepover at an apartment in Oakland's Dimond District on July 17.
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said at a news conference at Oakland police headquarters Tuesday morning that prosecutors believe the shooter was 22-year-old Darnell Williams.
Williams and a second suspect, 27-year-old Oakland resident Joseph Carroll, have both been charged with murder for the killing. O'Malley said Carroll is believed to have helped plan the shooting.
Alaysha, who was about to enter the third grade at Fruitvale Elementary School, was killed when shots were fired through the front door of an apartment in the 3400 block of Wilson Avenue.
Alaysha's mother, Chiquita, spoke out at Tuesday's arraignment. She said she hopes the people charged in connection with her daughter's murder are convicted and spend the rest of their lives in jail.
"I'm pissed, but I'm excited. I've been waiting for this day since I got the phone call that she was dead. I'm ready. I'm ready to fight." said Chiquita. "I'm here at every court date, every parole hearing. I don't get to see no years, more with my daughter and I don't want them to see anymore light on the street. I want complete justice for my daughter."
She said she's also angry at the father of Alaysha's friends who she said never came forward to help police with the investigation.
Three other people were injured in the shooting but survived, and Williams and Carroll were also each charged with three counts of attempted murder.
O'Malley said it appears the shooting was an act of retaliation for a previous gang-related shooting. She said the suspects were targeting someone inside the apartment but she did not say whom.
During the course of the investigation, OPD developed information that several related suspects were conspiring to commit an additional murder, which officers say they were able to prevent from taking place.
3 Charged In Murder Of 8-Year-Old Oakland Girl
O'Malley said Williams also is charged with murder for allegedly fatally shooting 22-year-old Anthony Medearis in the 1400 block of Eighth Street in Berkeley around 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 8, about seven weeks after Alaysha was killed.
O'Malley said Williams and Medearis had been friends but for some reason Williams decided to rob and kill Medearis.
Berkeley police Officer Shan Johnson said in a probable cause statement that the shooting occurred at a dice game to which Williams brought his 7-year-old nephew.
Johnson said Williams fired multiple shots at Medearis and a bullet fragment also struck his 7-year-old nephew in the face. Williams is charged with assault with a semi-automatic firearm for shooting his nephew.
Laquana Nuno, 28, is also charged with murder for Medearis' death.
O'Malley didn't disclose Nuno's role in the killing but Johnson said in his statement that Williams advised her in a text message that he was about to commit a robbery and she agreed to pick him up afterward. Johnson said Nuno then picked Williams up after the shooting and evaded police for a short time when they tried to stop her vehicle.
Williams later fled on foot when Nuno pulled over but officers were able to find and arrest him in a nearby shed, Johnson said.
O'Malley said Carroll and three other men also are charged with conspiracy to commit murder for making several attempts to kill two men they believed had "disrespected" Carroll and his brother, Coleon Carroll.
The attempts to kill the two alleged potential victims occurred on Sept. 13 and Sept. 20, according to a probable cause statement by Oakland police Officer Eric Karsseboom.
However, Oakland police officers and special agents from the California Department of Justice set up surveillance teams at the locations where the shootings allegedly were supposed to occur and were able to prevent harm to the potential victims, Karsseboom said.
Prosecutors allege that Williams has a prior conviction for assault with a semi-automatic firearm on Jan. 27, 2010.
They also allege that Joseph Carroll, who was arrested in Harris County in Texas over the weekend, has two prior convictions: one for possession of a firearm by a felon on Jan. 14 of this year and one for evading an officer on Sept. 24, 2007.
Williams faces three special circumstance murder allegations that potentially could result in the death penalty if he's convicted: committing multiple murders, lying in wait in the fatal shooting of Alaysha and attempting to commit a robbery during the course of murdering Medearis.
City of Oakland officials said the families of Alaysha and York and the Fields children are both in need of financial assistance.
They said anyone who wants to help the families can drop off or mail checks to the Oakland City Center Wells Fargo at 1221 Broadway, Oakland CA 94612. People also can drop off donations at any Wells Fargo location.
Checks to support the York family can be made out to the Antoine and Amara and Clara Fields Memorial Fund. Checks to support the Carradine family can be made out to the Alaysha Carradine Memorial Fund.
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