One denied bond, one says innocent in killing|[03/07/08]

Published 12:00 am Friday, March 7, 2008

Two of four brothers accused in the same Vicksburg homicide appeared in court Thursday, one for a bond hearing and the other to be arraigned on an indictment.

Armond Trevillion, 28, was denied bond by Circuit Judge Frank Vollor, while Anthony Trevillion, 30, pleaded innocent after District Attorney Ricky Smith read him an indictment returned by the January term of the Warren County Grand Jury.

Armond Trevillion and Anthony Trevillion, along with brothers Alonzo Trevillion, 35, and Matthew Nash, 29, and also Rufus Armstrong, 32, face murder charges in the shooting of 25-year-old Justin Maurice Harris.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

The death of Harris, who was gunned down June 17 at a residence at 1224 Grammar St., was the city’s third homicide in 2007. Just after 3 a.m., Harris was returning home from the New New Orleans Cafe, a now defunct downtown nightclub on Grove Street, when multiple shots were fired, one of which struck him in the left side, police said. An argument over a girl had apparently taken place at the bar, authorities said.

In addition to murder, the five co-defendants also face charges of shooting into an occupied dwelling, two counts of aggravated assault and possessing weapons after a felony conviction. All are to appear in court again on April 14.

During Thursday’s hearing, Vicksburg Police Sgt. Sandra Williams took the stand to testify on behalf of the prosecution, which was led by Assistant District Attorney Dewey Arthur. While testifying, she mentioned that during an interrogation, Matthew Nash said it was Armond Trevillion and Anthony Trevillion who did the shooting on June 17, one with a sawed-off shotgun and the other with an AK-47 assault rifle.

Williams and Arthur also said the two co-defendants had faced murder charges a previous time. Armond Trevillion and Anthony Trevillion, along with two others, were charged and indicted on two counts of murder for the deaths of Nathan Carson Jr., 26, and Frederick Freeman, 19, who were shot to death August 18, 1996, outside the former River City Cabaret at Mulberry and Levee streets. Armond was 16; Anthony, 19.

However, one of the other co-defendants took blame for the killing and murder charges against the teens were dismissed. They were convicted of aggravated assault and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Murder indictments from the January grand jury are also pending against Herman Green, 23, and Jason Jeobari Davis, 22. Green is accused of shooting to death 19-year-old William Wade on May 27 and Davis, 22 of shooting to death 21-year-old Thaddeus Jeffrey on Sept 2.