THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 27, 1996 TAG: 9602270294
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
A judge on Monday sent to a grand jury murder charges against five suspected gang members accused in the city's first homicide of the year.
They include Tywone Wilkins, 18; Terry A. Kee, 19; Maurice Melson, 25; and Anthony Wynn.
In addition, Melvin Crawley, 16, was certified for trial as an adult on murder charges.
General District Court Judge William Oast withdrew murder charges against two other men, Ernest C. Scott Jr. and Michael L. McGuire, after prosecutors decided not to pursue the charges.
Other charges against Scott and McGuire, including attempted robbery, were sent to the grand jury.
Two alleged gang members in testimony gave details about the Jan. 23 shooting death of 29-year-old Mark A. Holley. Wilkins and Kee testified that they met with Melson, Wynn and Crawley at Washington Park that evening.
The group decided to walk to Swanson Homes for a fight after one of the gang member's brothers complained that someone had threatened him.
Members of the gang split up when they arrived at Swanson Homes.
Wilkins and Kee testified they later saw Melson and Wynn pointing their guns at Holley as they forced him to walk from behind a home in the neighborhood.
Wilkins and Kee testified that Melson and Wynn then shot Holley in the side yard of a residence in the 1100 block of Lansing Ave. Holley later ran to a nearby grocery store on South Street, where he collapsed on the front porch.
Kee and Wilkins are being held on $1 million bond each. Melson is being held on $800,000 bond.
Crawley was being held at a juvenile facility.
The bond for McGuire and Scott was reduced from $1 million to $10,000.
Police are searching for Wynn, of the 1300 block of Effingham St. \ by CNB