Four people have been arrested in connection with the robbery-murder of a man from the Bear area. The victim was identified as James Williams, Jr, 48, of the community of Buckley, off Route 40 in Bear. This comes after an arrest in separate homicide case a few miles away in Wilton.
The man from Buckley was shot in his home late Saturday night. He was later pronounced dead at Christiana Hospital.
New Castle County Police determined that male suspects had attempted a home invasion and had reportedly been driven to a nearby restaurant parking lot by Ashlee Powell, 25, of Howell School Road, Bear. They later fled the scene empty-handed in a vehicle after an apparent struggle that allegedly led to the shooting.
Powell and other suspects were later apprehended. They include:
– Mark Miller, of Elliott Street in Newark. He is being held on charges of first degree murder. His arraignment is pending.
– Powell, held without bail on first degree murder and other charges.
– Matthew Miller, 27, also of Elliott Street in Newark. He is being held on first degree murder and other charges. His arraignment is pending.
– Aquino Meyers, 30, of Clarion Court Newark. He is being held on first degree murder and other charges. His arraignment is pending.
– Thomas Christy, 23, of O’Daniel Avenue, Newark. He is being held on a number of charges, including the burglary of the Williams home earlier in the year. He is described as an associate of the other suspects.
In a separate case, County Police arrested Brandon Wyche, 22, of Smyrna, after the shooting of a man Thursday night in a basketball area of a park near Wilton, also in the Route 40 area. He is being held without bond in connection with the murder of Benny Merrell, 25, of the Newark area.
Police said Wyche allegedly shot Merrell, who was playing basketball. Wyche was captured shortly after the shooting and is being held without bond on first degree murder charges. Wyche is also being held in connection with a robbery-shooting in the New Castle area.
