Suspects in murder of Monongahela teen headed to trial
With a feeding tube in her nose, a 17-year-old shooting victim testified in court Friday about the April 13 incident that killed her friend and sent her to the hospital for six weeks.
All four suspects charged in connection to the shooting death of 18-year-old Annalaya Wilkerson of Monongahela appeared at the Washington County Courthouse Friday morning. Windale Barfield Jr., his brother Anthony Barfield and Karon Whitlock all face homicide charges. Jeheili Yonshay Cochran is charged with hindering apprehension, obstruction and tampering with evidence. Cochran is accused of helping Whitlock flee the state, and disposing of the murder weapon.
Whitlock, 20, of Washington, waived his right to a preliminary hearing. District Judge John Bruner held the charges against the other three defendants for the Court of Common Pleas.
Chelsie Estock, of Elizabeth, testified that she and Wilkerson rode with Windale Barfield and Whitlock to Jolly School Road in South Franklin Township, where Barfield, 19, of Washington, is accused of firing multiple shots at the teenagers.
Estock was shot in the abdomen and transported to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh. She underwent 18 surgeries and will require more. She said as a result she currently cannot eat properly and requires a feeding tube.
According to Estock无毛视频檚 testimony, on the night of April 13, Wilkerson was using Estock无毛视频檚 cellphone to text Anthony Barfield, 17, of Washington. Wilkerson asked Barfield to meet them at the Red Roof Inn in Canton Township, where the two girls had rented a room. Instead, Barfield sent his brother and Whitlock to give them a ride. Anthony Barfield is being charged as an adult.
Estock testified that they stopped at the apartment of Whitlock无毛视频檚 girlfriend for a short period before heading out again.
Estock said that she and Wilkerson believed they were going to meet Anthony Barfield when they arrived in the 500 block of Jolly School Road. Windale Barfield parked down the road from a home and said they had to walk the rest of the way. Estock said she heard gunshots and Wilkerson yell, 无毛视频淲innie.无毛视频�
When first responders arrived, Estock told an EMT that 无毛视频淲innie无毛视频� shot them. Under cross-examination by Pittsburgh attorney William Difenderfer, who is representing Windale Barfield, Estock clarified she never saw the gun or who fired it.
The first witness District Attorney Jason Walsh called to testify was Whitlock, who spoke quietly, sometimes mumbling, prompting the district judge to repeatedly ask him to speak up and into the microphone.
Whitlock shared a similar account to Estock无毛视频檚, though they differed on some key details. He has claimed to police he was unaware of any plans to kill Wilkerson.
Whitlock testified that when they stopped at his girlfriend无毛视频檚 apartment, he smoked marijuana and took multiple shots of liquor. Though he was initially driving when they left, Whitlock claimed he was too inebriated to drive and Windale Barfield took over.
Estock said she never saw Whitlock drink alcohol. According to her testimony, at the apartment they rolled a joint and smoked it in the car. Barfield then asked to drive.
The two also differed as to why they were at Jolly School Road. Whitlock testified that Barfield and Wilkerson were planning on buying drugs. Estock said they were both under the impression they were meeting Anthony Barfield, and that there was no discussion about purchasing drugs.
When Walsh asked Whitlock who shot Wilkerson once they got out of the car, he began nervously shaking his right leg and struggled to hold back tears. Walsh asked again and he continued to remain silent.
When Walsh asked if it was Windale Barfield who pulled the trigger, Whitlock said yes.
Difenderfer questioned Whitlock无毛视频檚 credibility and asked if it was actually he who shot the teenagers.
无毛视频淣o, it was Windale,无毛视频� Whitlock testified.
Whitlock said that he ran after hearing gunshots and that Windale Barfield drove by and picked him up a short time later. He testified that they went to see Anthony Barfield, who allegedly told Whitlock he and his brother had planned Wilkerson无毛视频檚 murder together.
He claimed they did so under the belief that Wilkerson was plotting with rival gangs to 无毛视频渓ine them,无毛视频� which Walsh asked him to define.
无毛视频淪he was trying to get them killed,无毛视频� Whitlock said.
Washington County Detective Matthew Collins extracted data from the cellphones of Estock, Wilkerson and Whitlock. Estock无毛视频檚 phone shows several text messages exchanged with a number police believe belongs to Anthony Barfield. Estock testified that Wilkerson was using her phone.
At 10:09 p.m., Estock无毛视频檚 phone sent a message to Barfield that said, 无毛视频淲here are they taking us?无毛视频�
At 10:56 p.m., about the time the shooting took place, he responded with 无毛视频測o.无毛视频�
Collins testified that location data from the cellphones shows that Wilkerson and Whitlock were together from the Red Roof Inn to Jolly School Road. At 11:01 p.m., Whitlock无毛视频檚 phone left the scene while Wilkerson无毛视频檚 phone remained.
The following Monday, police issued arrest warrants for Windale Barfield and Whitlock. Whitlock said he met with Cochran in Monongahela that day.
无毛视频淓verything is going to be OK,无毛视频� Whitlock recalled being told by Cochran. 无毛视频淛ust don无毛视频檛 say anything.无毛视频�
Cochran drove Whitlock to New York City, where Windale Barfield had absconded. During the trip, Whitlock claims that Cochran told him she had disposed of the gun used in the shooting. The weapon has not been recovered.
The Barfield brothers and Whitlock also face conspiracy and aggravated assault charges. All three are being held in the Washington County jail without bond. Cochran is free on $200,000 unsecured bond.
Formal arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. July 18.