Two of the people accused of murder and other crimes in the drive-by shootings that left two teens wounded and a little girl dead were denied bond Wednesday, June 8.
Henri “Ruger” Beach, 20, was one of the members of Loyalty Over Everything gang who jumped at the chance to “spin the block,” slang for do a drive-by shooting, in the Dogwood Terrace public apartment complex, District Attorney Jared Williams said Wednesday during the Richmond County Superior Court bond hearings for Beach and for the man who allegedly gave the “green light” for the drive-by shootings, Kendariss Brown, 31.
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The drive-by shootings on Jan. 6 and Jan. 8 were in retaliation for the beating Antionous W. Thomas, 20, allegedly suffered after he strayed into the area frequented by another gang, an area that includes Dogwood Terrace off Old Savannah Road, according to court documents.
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A 14-year-old and a 16-year-old were wounded in the Jan. 6 shooting. The Jan. 8 drive-by sent several people running for their lives and killed 8-year-old Arbrie Anthony. The child who loved horses was petting a horse named Patches, brought to the housing complex by a good Samaritan, as her father recorded Arbrie, Williams said. The horse was also shot and later died.
According to the 23-count indictment Antoine Redfield, 22, Beach and Thomas were involved in both drive-by shootings. Brown, whom investigators believe is a leader in LOE, allegedly gave permission for the shootings.
Williams said Wednesday that Beach made a Facebook post after the two teens were shot. He bragged that now he would make money for his work.
Beach, who has a tattoo of what looks like a rifle on his neck, was arrested three times as a juvenile for theft and burglary. In addition to the murder indictment, he also has three pending cases with charges of robbery, aggravated assault, theft, possession of cocaine, armed robbery, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, theft, illegal gang activity, and illegal weapon possession charges.
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Unlike Beach, Brown has no other pending felony charges, and he has no criminal history, his attorney, Bruce Harvey, stressed in asking for bond Wednesday. Brown is a graduate of Butler High School and of Benedict College in Columbia, S.C. He has maintained steady employment, is married, has family here willing to support him and post property for a bond, and he has a home in Covington, Brown’s attorney said. And importantly, when Brown learned he was under indictment, he hired counsel and turned himself into to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at the time and place agreed to, Harvey said.
But the district attorney countered that there is no one more dangerous to the community than Brown. He’s the gang leader who gives permission for drive-by shootings, Williams said. Brown is the LOE leader who pays for the guns, the transportation, the attorneys and fronts the money for bond for fellow LOE members, Williams said.
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After hearing from the attorneys Wednesday, Judge Ashley Wright, who has been assigned to preside over the case, denied bond by for Beach and Brown.
A bond hearing for Destiny Rich, 22, which was also set for Wednesday was postponed. Redfield and Thomas also remain in jail without bond.
Two other men have been named in a second indictment unsealed this week- Michael Demontrez Tolbert and Michael Anthony Freeman.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
