Two teenagers accused of shooting and killing a Jefferson High School student at a Gwinnett County mall last week will not be getting out of jail, a judge said Wednesday, just hours ahead of the victim’s funeral.
Elijah DeWitt, an 18-year-old senior who played wide receiver for the Jefferson football team, will be remembered Wednesday evening during a service at the school’s arena. He was found shot to death Oct. 5 in the parking lot of Sugarloaf Mills near Dave & Buster’s after getting into some sort of argument, police said.
Credit: Jefferson High School Football
Credit: Jefferson High School Football
Chandler Zion Richardson, 19, and Kemare Matthew Bryan, 18, both of Lawrenceville, were arrested the following day nearly 100 miles away in Anderson, South Carolina. By Tuesday, they were booked into the Gwinnett jail on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in DeWitt’s death.
Wearing the same clothes they wore at their arrest last week, Richardson and Bryan appeared before a Gwinnett County Magistrate Court judge Wednesday morning. Judge William Brogdon denied bond for the aggravated assault and firearm charges, citing the defendants’ alleged flight risk and danger to the community.
Only a superior court judge can set bond on the murder charges.
“You’re going to be here for a while,” Brogdon said.
A motive for the shooting has not been disclosed by police, but investigators believe the teens were at least familiar with each other. DeWitt’s family, however, does not believe he was friends with his alleged killers.
His mother, Dawn DeWitt, told Channel 2 Action News her son had been enjoying his fall break the day he was killed. He’d spent time with family and friends, attended football practice and played golf just hours before going to Dave & Buster’s to enjoy the night.
“I felt like it was so great. He got to spend time with all of us,” his mother told Channel 2. “I miss him so much. If I could just have one more day.”
Elijah DeWitt’s funeral is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, his family is asking for donations to be made to a scholarship fund they plan to establish in his name. A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $45,000.
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