The district attorney says her office is aiming to charge both 15-year-old boys as adults for the murder of Memphis pastor and youth advocate Autura Eason-Williams.
A second 15-year-old has been arrested in connection with the murder of Memphis pastor Reverend Autura Eason-Williams, and the district attorney’s office seeks to charge both teens as adults, according to Memphis police.
Eason-Williams was shot multiple times during a carjacking in Whitehaven on July 18, and later died at a hospital, according to police.
A 15-year-old, Miguel Andrade, was previously arrested and charged with her murder, according to local Memphis outlet Fox 13.
According to the outlet, Andrade was charged with first-degree murder, murder in the perpetration of a robbery, especially aggravated robbery, carjacking and employment of a firearm during a dangerous felony.
According to the authorities, Brayan Carillo, who is also 15, has now also been arrested in connection with the pastor’s death and was named as a suspect on July 22.
Tillman Station Task Force and Homicide investigators made contact with the teen by phone after coming to his home when he was not there, according to authorities.
Carillo met with investigators and was placed into custody, according to police.
According to authorities, Carillo was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree murder in perpetration of robbery, especially aggravated robbery, possession of a firearm during a dangerous felony and carjacking.
Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich has already announced that her office will seek to try Andrade as an adult for the murder of Eason-Williams, and has said that her office will seek to try Carillo as an adult as well, according to the outlet.
Because youths between the ages 14 and 17 who are charged with serious crimes are eligible to transfer to adult court, Weirich believes this case qualifies, according to a press release.
“Because of the facts, the serious nature of this case and the offender’s criminal history, I am seeking transfer of this case to adult court as well,” Weirich said in the release.
Eason-Williams' daughter Ayanna Hampton shared her discontent with this request on Facebook, sharing that her mother was an advocate for re-connecting system-involved youth to their communities.
“Please do not use her death as an opportunity to go all ‘tough on crime,’ ‘throw them under the jail,’ ‘charge them as adults so they won't get a chance to do this again’ on us,” she wrote.
“I'm personally not tryna hear it, I disagree, and it would not make me feel better.
That is not what she would say, or what she would consider to be justice.”
According to Action News 5, retired Memphis Police Department Lt. Colonel James Kirkwood —who worked closely with Pastor Eason-Williams when he was in charge of the Hickory Hill precinct — shared that he feels intervention is what is needed for system-involved youth like Andrade.
”Her strongest advocation was for young people. She fought for young people. It was so important that young people have a chance,” he told the outlet.
“We’ve got to create inspirational outreach that will target our young people, target the same ones the gangs are targeting. We can’t wait until tomorrow.
We have to get together and strategize. We must begin to make a difference.”
In addition to Andrade and Carillo, a 16-year-old boy was charged with theft of property in connection with the incident, and a 17-year-old male was arrested but released without charges, according to police.
According to Fox 13, a report date is set for Aug. 1 in Juvenile Court, and a transfer hearing is not expected until late August or September.
Eason-Williams’s funeral has been scheduled for Aug. 3 at 10 a.m. at Saint Paul United Methodist Church, 2949 Davies Plantation Rd., in Lakeland, Tennessee.
