Fulton grand jury indicts ‘Jack Boys' for terrifying crime spree

Three accused in Virginia-Highland murder

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By Bill Rankin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alleged members of the so-called "Jack Boys" gang were formally charged Friday with leaving 19 crime scenes in six metro neighborhoods over a 40-day period, including killing a man in Virginia-Highland two months ago.

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Atlanta Police Department Suspect in carjacking.

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Atlanta Police Department Second suspect in carjacking.

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Atlanta Police Department, mgarner@ajc.com Recovered Toyota Highlander.

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Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced the indictment of six defendants, among them their alleged ringleader, 18-year-old Mario Wise. Wise, who already had an extensive criminal history, is charged with two others for killing 39-year-old Charles Boyer. On Nov. 22 at around 10 p.m., Boyer was gunned down after he and his girlfriend were confronted by three masked men outside her Virginia-Highland apartment.

The brazen crimes shocked and alarmed residents in the neighborhoods of Virginia-Highland, the Old Fourth Ward, Grant Park, Lakewood Heights, Ormewood Park and Benteen Park, Howard said. They "suffered through a wave of crimes of violence that will long be remembered."

State Attorney General Sam Olens and local politicians praised the Atlanta Police Department for arresting the six defendants and thanked Howard for swiftly indicting them.

After hearing Howard run through the litany of charges, state Rep. Ralph Long, D-Atlanta, looked at a poster with the mug shots of the six defendants.

"Obviously they have no compassion for life," Long said. "There are some empty souls there."

The gang began committing armed robberies and carjackings beginning Oct. 19, Atlanta police Maj. Keith Meadows said. Then they escalated to violent home invasions, murder and rape until Nov. 27, he said.

As regards to "Jack Boys," Meadows said, "It's our hope it's been dissolved."

Charged with Wise in Boyer's killing were Raphael Cross, 22, and Robert Veal, 17. The three men are also charged with turning a gun on a woman inside her home on Boulevard a few hours later. After they raped her, they left with her laptop and cell phone, the indictment said.

Also indicted were Whitney McCoy, 18, said to be Wise's girlfriend; Octavious Porter, 20; and Fernandez Whatley, 20.

McCoy is charged with committing armed robberies with Wise on Oct. 22 and Nov. 8. Porter is accused of hooking up with Wise on Oct. 21 and robbing a man at gunpoint of his 2008 Chrysler 300, his cash, wallet and cell phone.

Whatley and Wise are charged with invading a Benteen Park home on Nov. 27, in which they kidnapped a man at gunpoint and robbed him of his flat-screen TV and 2005 Audi. They are also accused of cruelty to children for forcing the man's daughter to the ground and tying her hands and of holding a woman in the home at gunpoint and taking her wedding ring.