LOGANVILLE, GA -- Gwinnett County Police announced Friday that three teens have been arrested in connection with the Dec. 19 death of Paul Sampleton, 14, of Grayson. Officials say all three were fellow students at Grayson High School.
Arrested and in custody are Larnell Sillah, 15, charged with homicide; and Romaine Stewart, 18, and Achiel Morgan, 15, both charged with armed robbery. Sillah and Morgan have been charged as adults, according to officials.
"Detectives believe the motive for this crime was robbery," GCPD spokesman Jake Smith said in a press release. "The suspects knew that Paul Sampleton traded in high-end sneakers and possessed nice clothing and electronics."
Sampleton, a student at GHS, was discovered by his father bound and shot, at about 2:40 p.m. on the last day of school before the Christmas break.
Smith said witnesses reported seeing a silver BMW passenger car near the victim’s home in the days leading up to the homicide, and on the day of the homicide.
From the release:
"Detectives followed up on the suspicious vehicle and determined it was connected with a house at 3001 Farmstead Court, Snellville, GA. This location is less than ½ mile from the incident location. Based on the vehicle and evidence obtained through additional investigation, detectives obtained a search warrant. On December 21, 2012, the GCPD SWAT team served the search warrant. No one was charged at that time. Due to sensitive circumstances surrounding this investigation, no information was released on the search warrant at the time."
"Detectives followed up on the suspicious vehicle and determined it was connected with a house at 3001 Farmstead Court, Snellville, GA. This location is less than ½ mile from the incident location. Based on the vehicle and evidence obtained through additional investigation, detectives obtained a search warrant. On December 21, 2012, the GCPD SWAT team served the search warrant. No one was charged at that time. Due to sensitive circumstances surrounding this investigation, no information was released on the search warrant at the time."
Further investigation led detectives to Stewart and Morgan. "There was sufficient evidence to charge them in the armed robbery of Paul Sampleton, however they have not been charged with the homicide," the release says.
Smith said a second search warrant was served on Feb. 7, at which time Sillah was taken into custody. A warrant was obtained to charge him with homicide Friday morning. Smith said all three suspects are in custody, without bond.
waaaaay too icy for a 3+ year old 11
Lookin for a pair.
