Detectives traced the suspected vehicle used in a drive-by shooting that left an 8-year-old girl dead to two of the people now accused of murder and other crimes.
Arbrie Anthony died after she was shot in the head Jan. 8 outside the Dogwood Terrace apartment where she lived with her father. Two days earlier in in the same public housing complex off Old Savannah Road two boys were shot and wounded in a drive-by shooting.
Henri Beach, 20, Kendariss L. Brown, 31, Antoine R. Redfield, 22, Destiny Rich, 22, and Antionous W. Thomas, 20, are named in a 23-count indictment returned by a Richmond County grand jury in April. Each has pleaded not guilty to charges that include murder, aggravated assault and violation of the state’s Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act in connection with the two drive-by shootings.
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By going public with a photograph of the vehicle believed used the night Arbrie was killed, Richmond County Sheriff investigators found the vehicle – a red Jeep Compass, according to detectives’ affidavits used to obtain multiple search warrants.
A red Jeep Compass was caught on security video the night one or more shooters fired on several people gathered outside that early Saturday evening. Sheriff investigators learned through a tip that a red Jeep Compass was rented eight days earlier, on New Year’s Eve, to Destiny Rich.
She told investigators she rented the Jeep at Redfield’s request and that he had been using the vehicle. At the time, Redfield had only been out of jail about five weeks. He had been jailed more than two years on murder charges in a double homicide, but in late November the district attorney’s office dropped the murder charges filed against Redfield and a second man.
Several hours after Arbrie was shot to death, Rich met up with Redfield at a Gordon Highway convenience store around 2:24 a.m. Jan. 9, she told investigators. He didn’t have the Jeep, she said. Redfield said he “parked it” because someone had seen him in it, according to the detectives’ affidavits. Later that day, they heard a TV report of Arbrie’s death and how investigators were searching for a red or orange Jeep. Rich was furious with Redfield for getting her involved in a murder investigation, but when she asked Redfield point-blank what he had done, Redfield responded, “I swear to God, I didn’t do it,” Rich told the detectives.
Redfield also allegedly got a cousin involved in the murder investigation. According to the affidavit, Redfield called Octavia Brown around 7:20 p.m. Jan. 8 and asked her to switch vehicles with him. She was out but when she got home around midnight, a red Jeep was parked at her home. At Redfield’s request, she moved the Jeep to an apartment complex the next day.
Octavia Brown also gave Redfield and Rich a ride the day after Arbrie was killed, according to the affidavits. She drove Redfield to meet with Beach and another man on Jan. 10. Redfield, Beach and the third man were arrested Jan. 12 in Columbia County. According to earlier reports in The Augusta Press, officers found several guns, cash and possible evidence of financial crimes in the vehicle they were driving.
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Octavia Brown was indicted this month on charges of making a false statement and hindering the apprehension of a criminal. She is accused of allegedly initially lying to investigators and deleting texts and Facetime call log.
According to the search warrant affidavits, a relative of Arbrie’s provided information that connected Thomas, Beach and Redfield to Kendariss L. Brown, described as a leader in the gang Loyalty Over Everything. After he was beaten up, Thomas went to Brown with Beach and Redfield to seek permission to shoot up Third Avenue, a cross street in the Dogwood Terrace complex.
According to the indictment, Thomas, Beach and Redfield are charged with aggravated assault, cruelty to children and weapon violations in the Jan. 6 drive-by shooting in Dogwood Terrace which left two boys wounded.
Thomas, Beach and Redfield along with Brown and Rich are charged with murder, aggravated assault, cruelty to children, aggravated cruelty to animals, and weapon violations in the Jan. 8 drive-by shooting when Arbrie was killed.
Arbrie’s father and an uncle are among the victims listed in the aggravated assault charges. The animal abuse charge stems from the death of a horse named Patches. His owner rode the horse to Dogwood Terrace to expose children to horses. Arbrie was petting Patches when both were shot. The horse also died.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at [email protected].
