ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, June 29, 1996 TAG: 9607010063
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI STAFF WRITER
An apparent breakdown in communication at the Charlotte, N.C., police department may have hindered the search for Aquilia Marcibicci Barnette.
But Friday, Roanoke police also said they could have been more aggressive in their pursuit of the 22-year-old Barnette, who is charged with gunning down his ex-girlfriend a day after allegedly killing a South Carolina man to steal his car.
Roanoke Lt. William Beason Jr. said that when the Charlotte police did not respond to his department's computer requests for help, his investigators should have called them.
"A phone call should have been placed at some point," he said. "Looking back I wish we had. ... This is an instance that had tragic, tragic results.
"But the teletype is the way of doing business with police agencies," Beason added. "We have some agencies who won't take action unless they have a teletype."
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said they received three teletypes from the Roanoke police requesting that their department look for Barnette. They say that only one - received on June 20 - clearly stated that Barnette was wanted for the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend, Robin Williams, and the firebombing of her Northeast Roanoke apartment April 30.
Roanoke police, however, said they sent four teletypes, and that each teletype stated the charge they had filed against Barnette. Teletypes were sent April 30, May 2, May 31 and June 20, Beason said.
It was unclear Friday whether Charlotte-Mecklenburg police received the April 30 teletype. But action apparently was taken on only one occasion, and the final request for help was not found until after Barnette was already in custody, according to Charlotte Capt. Matt Hunter, who is conducting an internal investigation.
"If I had known about the teletypes, I would have acted, no matter what they said," Hunter said. "We're trying to find out if there's a flaw in our system as to [whether] teletypes are forwarded to where they're supposed to be."
The dispatches between the police departments unfold this way, according to Roanoke and Charlotte police:
* April 30: After the firebombing of Robin Williams' Northeast Roanoke apartment, Barnette was charged with two counts of attempted murder, arson, manufacturing a firebomb and felony property damage. A patrol officer sent a teletype to southeastern states, including North Carolina. It detailed the offense, listed Barnette's suspected address in Charlotte, and said there were numerous felony warrants pending against Barnette.
Roanoke police received no response from Charlotte.
* May 2: Roanoke arson investigator Rick Kahl sent a teletype asking all North Carolina agencies to be on the lookout for Barnette. The firebombing incident was described, as was the car Barnette was believed to be driving. Once again, it stated that Barnette was wanted on numerous felony warrants, including attempted murder.
Charlotte police said they received a request on that date, but that no charges were indicated on the teletype. It asked that Charlotte police locate Barnette and notify Roanoke police. Charlotte police say a patrol officer checked the address and was unable to find it. The officer told Roanoke police it was an invalid address.
Charlotte police now admit the address did exist. They are still investigating how the mistake happened.
* May 31: Kahl sent another teletype requesting assistance from Charlotte police, stating the charges against Barnette and that he was believed to be in Charlotte.
Capt. Matt Hunter said the request was referred to the arson unit, but that he could not verify that any action took place.
"I can't verify that it was actually put in a police officer's hand," he said.
Roanoke police received no response.
* June 20: Kahl sent another teletype stating that Barnette was wanted on five felony counts relating to the firebombing and that he also was wanted in Georgia for a probation violation. For the second time, he requested a contact person in the Charlotte police department. He got no response.
"It was forwarded to fugitive investigations ... but [the teletype] wasn't discovered until Barnette was already in custody," Hunter said.
When Roanoke police got no response from Charlotte, they sought Barnette by other means, Beason said. They entered his name and list of warrants in a statewide and national crime database. They stayed in contact with Robin Williams to run down any additional leads she might have.
Between late June 21 and early June 22, police believe, Barnette carjacked Donald Allen, shot him and stole his dark blue Honda Prelude. Then, police said, Barnette drove that car to Roanoke, shot his way into Robin Williams' mother's house in Northwest Roanoke. Once he found Robin Williams, police said, he chased her outside and shot her in the middle of the street.
Robin Williams' mother, Bertha Williams, says her daughter did all the right things by staying in contact with police. Still, she said, the system failed.
"If they had been doing their job ... . My child is lost to me forever," she said. "She should not be dead. She should not be dead."
An internal investigation continues in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department. In Roanoke, Beason said they, too, are reviewing what their officers could have done to expedite the investigation.
"I can tell you right now that this was not taken lightly," Beason said. "It was not taken lightly from April 30 to last Saturday."
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