A 17-year-old Mississippi teenager, charged with capital murder in connection with the death of a child on Thursday, reportedly told authorities that the child was shot by another suspect, also arrested in the case.
New York Daily News reports that Dwan Wakefield, 17, is one of the three people charged with 6-year-old Kingston Frazier’s murder. The little boy was asleep in his mother’s car when it was stolen from Kroger parking lot close to Jackson, at around 1:00 a.m. on Thursday morning. Wakefield, along with D’Allen Washington, 17, and Byron McBride, 19, are accused of stealing the car and shooting the little boy numerous times. Kingston was found deceased, still in the backseat of the car, on Thursday afternoon.
Ebony Archie, Kingston’s mother, told authorities she made a quick stop at Kroger to pick up supplies for Kingston’s upcoming “graduation from Kindergarten” party, and she mistakenly left the little boy in the car, and let him sleep while ran inside the store.
Mississippi Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Rusty Clark confirmed in a sworn statement that Wakefield told him and another investigator that McBride was the person that stole the vehicle and shot Kingston.
“During this interview, Wakefield implicated Byron McBride as the person who actually stole the vehicle and shot and killed Frazier.”
Local media recently interviewed Wakefield’s father, Dwan Wakefield Sr., who said his son was “not cut like that” and had nothing to do with Kingston’s murder. Wakefield Sr. also stated that his son, who has a 1-year-old child of his own, had a bright future ahead of him. He said that Wakefield Jr. was a star football player on his high school’s football team.
Suspect's father: "MY SON'S INNOCENT!" Dwan Wakefield Sr responds to arrest of his son, Dwan Wakefield Jr, on a capital murder charge in connection with death of 6-year-old Kingston Frazier.
Posted by Luke Jones WREG on Thursday, May 18, 2017
Regardless, all three suspects are facing capital murder charges. In the state of Mississippi, if a murder occurs during the commission of another felony, everyone involved will face murder charges, Under MS Code § 97-3-19 (2013), this rule applies when a death occurs whether accidental or intentional.
“When done with or without any design to effect death, by any person engaged in the commission of the crime of rape, burglary, kidnapping, arson, robbery, sexual battery, unnatural intercourse with any child under the age of twelve (12), or nonconsensual unnatural intercourse with mankind, or in any attempt to commit such felonies.”
For instance, even if the other two suspects didn’t shoot the 6-year-old, they’re both accused of participating in car theft and kidnapping. Kingston’s death wouldn’t have happened if the suspects didn’t reportedly steal the car, which means all three, under Mississippi law, are charged with his murder.
Authorities stated that more charges may be added on as the investigation unfolds. McBride is the only suspect that may face the death penalty, since the U.S. Supreme Court banned the death penalty for people under 18 who commit crimes.
“I do not believe that it is anything other than a crime of opportunity.”
All three suspects are being held at the Madison County jail without bond, awaiting their Monday morning court appearances.
[Feature Photo: Family Handout]
