A DeKalb County mother who police say took her son, a murder suspect, to hide with family in Arizona, is denying the accusations.
Arnez McNeill, 46, said Tuesday morning she couldn't have taken 19-year-old Taveyon McNeill out West because she can prove she was at work in Georgia. She was speaking with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution after a preliminary hearing for the son, who is accused in the Feb. 13 death of 42-year-old Willie James Hammond.
During the hearing, county police Detective P.A. Wright testified that he has a text message from the mother telling her son not to come back to DeKalb “until this is a cold case.”
Asked about that by the AJC, the mother said: “I wasn’t the only one using my phone.” She said she didn’t know who sent that and that her son was in Arizona when the shooting happened.
DeKalb police have alleged that the mom left the son at the relative’s home in May, asking if the teen could stay awhile. Perplexed by the surprise visit, police allege, the relative searched the Internet, learned the teen was wanted on a murder charge and notified authorities.
Investigators charged Arnez McNeill with making false statements for allegedly lying about where her son was, police said.
READ: DeKalb Bloods gang members get long sentences for executing 2 women
READ: Here are the plans for the new North DeKalb Mall and Costco
READ: 'A murderer I am not': Woman tells judge she was abused before killing
Taveyon McNeill is charged with murder, along with co-defendants Javien Evans, 17, and Tamorris D’Tron Tyler, 26. All are in jail.
Like DeKalb County News Now on Facebook | Follow on Twitter
In other news:
