JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) - All three suspects in custody for the kidnapping and shooting death of 6-year-old Kingston Frazier have been charged with capital murder. No bond was given.
19-year-old Byron McBride, 18-year-old DeAllen Washington and 18-year-old Dwan Diondro Wakefield have all been arrested in the slaying of the child.
A news conference was held on Thursday evening in which Hinds County Sheriff Victor Mason revealed that a deputy was dispatched to the Kroger on I-55 North in Jackson after a witness reported a woman came out of the store reporting that her car was missing. That deputy drew up a case number for auto theft.
Sheriff Mason says at that point they did not receive information that a child was in the car and missing. When that information was revealed, deputies then contacted Mississippi Highway Patrol and then the Jackson Police Department.
JPD Commander Tyree Jones says that officers then responded to the scene of the auto theft and kidnapping and were able to obtain information on the vehicles involved in the case.
A witness contacted police and was able to provide information about the last person seen driving the silver Honda Civic, used by the suspects. Police were able to get a positive identity of the driver, who they confirm is one of the three under arrest.
It was at that point that MBI issued the Amber Alert and were able to begin assisting in the investigation.
Madison County Sheriff Randy Tucker and Madison and Rankin counties District Attorney Michael Guest say that all three suspects in custody for the death have been charged with capital murder. It's possible that through the course of the investigation charges could be changed or modified. All three were given no bond.
McBride was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals in Ridgeland and Washington was taken into custody on Thursday afternoon by Hinds County Sheriff's Deputies.
We were on the scene when Washington was taken in for questioning:
Wakefield, of Ridgeland, was taken into custody on Holmes Avenue in Jackson just before 11 a.m.. We've confirmed that Wakefield attends Ridgeland High School where he played quarterback on the football team.
Little Kingston Frazier was last seen Thursday morning at about 1:15 in the parking lot of the Kroger before he was allegedly kidnapped.
According to the Hinds County Sheriff's office, his mom, Ebony Archie, arrived at Kroger in her Toyota Camry and ran inside the store for a few minutes. She allegedly left her car running and her son inside the car.
Within a short time, authorities say two subjects in a Honda Civic pulled up to Archie's car. The passenger of the Honda, a 6 foot tall black male, got out of his car and jumped in Archie's car with the child inside. Both cars sped away.
Police found Frazier dead of a single gunshot wound in the backseat of the stolen Toyota Camry in Gluckstadt sometime before 10 a.m..
The stolen car was found on Gluckstadt Road at a dead end behind the ABC warehouse. It has been taken to the State Crime Lab, along with the body of the little boy who has been taken there for autopsy.
A multi jurisdictional investigation is underway involving Jackson Police Department, Hinds County Sheriff's Office, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and Madison County Sheriff's Office. All agencies are working collectively on this case.
Little Kingston Frazier was supposed to graduate from kindergarten today from North Jackson Elementary School.
JPS released this statement today:
“The Jackson Public School District is deeply saddened by the tragic death of North Jackson Elementary scholar, Kingston Frazier. He was beloved by his classmates and teachers and will surely be missed. The District is providing grief counselors to the students and staff of the school. We ask all citizens to keep the Frazier family in their thoughts and prayers.”
