Suspect officially charged in girl’s murder; earlier charge dropped
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A suspect in the fatal drive-by shooting of an 8-year-old girl has been transferred to Richmond County from Columbia County custody.
Meanwhile, he won’t face prosecution in a 2019 slaying he’s been charged with.
After more than a week in Columbia County custody following his capture in Grovetown, suspect Antoine Redfield, 21, of Augusta, is in Richmond County jail.
He’s now been charged with the murder of Arbrie Anthony, who was fatally injured Arbrie was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting Jan. 8 outside her home at the Dogwood Terrace apartments. Authorities believe the shooting was targeted but that she was not the intended victim.
Redfield has a lengthy history of charges, including felony murder, the charge that’s being dropped in connection with an incident at a nightclub more than two years ago.
District Attorney Jared Williams said Wednesday that for a number of reasons, he didn’t believe he could secure a conviction for Redfield beyond a reasonable doubt in the nightclub incident that happened in December 2019 at the Private I Club on Thomas Lane. Jabrie Dominguez, 23, and Charles Lawson III, 28, were fatally shot.
“This was a chaotic gunfight at a nightclub between four gang , two of whom died,” Williams said Wednesday in a statement.
The lead investigator testified he could not determine who shot first and neither witness testimony nor physical and ballistic evidence could prove who shot whom, Williams said. Video of the incident did not show who shot first, either.
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Additionally, no firearms were recovered from the scene.
All of these factors mean the prosecutors couldn’t prove the shooting wasn’t in self-defense or defense of others.
“It became clear that despite our best efforts, the State could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Redfield shot for any reason other than to save his own life or his friend’s life,” Williams said. “The probable cause standard required for arrest warrants is much lower than the standard the State is held to at trial. While no prosecutor wishes to let violent gang back on the street, no ethical prosecutor can try a man for murder without the evidence to prove it.”
In announcing the dismissal of charges, Williams said: “This was not a judgment call. This was not a choice. This was a requirement by law.”
READ DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S STATEMENT:
Arbrie’s shooting raised an outcry in the community, and finding her killer became the top priority of Sheriff Richard Roundtree.
Authorities publicized images of the vehicle involved in the shooting of the girl while she was outside looking at horses.
Then on the Monday after the shooting, Redfield was picked up by Grovetown police officers assisted the U.S. Marshals Service and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office in a traffic stop at 5035 Wrightsboro Road.
A search of the vehicle revealed multiple firearms and several dozen financial transaction cards belonging to multiple individuals, none of whom were engers in the vehicle, police said. A large amount of money was also found as well as narcotics and drug paraphernalia, police said.
Held in the Columbia County jail were:
- Redfield, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- Devonte Juanye McNeil, 25, financial transaction card theft.
- Henri Ramone Beach, 20, financial transaction card theft.Redfield is in custody at the Columbia County Detention Center, and a hold has been placed on him for Richmond County, authorities said Friday.
Then on Friday, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office announced Redfield had been identified as a suspect in the slaying of the Arbrie case and a hold had been placed on him in Columbia County.
Deputies said additional arrests were forthcoming.
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