According to information presented in court, on January 19,
2017, Willie Somerville, 21, Armoni Hall, 21, Eddie Poindexter, 21, Christian
Sherrill, 24, and Darrell Owens, 32, participated in the robbery of Timothy
Edwards at his home located at 1229 Douglas Street in Covington, Tennessee.
They planned to rob him of drugs and drug proceeds. Somerville was armed with a
9 mm pistol and Hall with a twelve-gauge shotgun. Somerville, Hall, and
Poindexter went to Edwards’ residence and kicked in the door, while Sherrill
and Owens waited nearby in a getaway car. As Hall entered Edwards’ residence,
Edwards grabbed him and they struggled over the shotgun. Somerville opened fire
with the pistol, killing Edwards and seriously injuring Hall. Edwards’ wife was
in the back of the house and called 911. By the time police arrived a few
minutes later, Edwards was already dead. Hall was found lying in the street a
block away with gunshot injuries.
On December 19, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted the five
men for robbery affecting interstate commerce; possession, use and discharge of
firearms during a crime of violence; and use of a firearm to cause the death of
Timothy Edwards. On March 5, 2019, after a week-long trial, the jury convicted
Somerville of all counts, and Poindexter and Sherrill were convicted of the
robbery and use of the firearm during the robbery. Hall previously pled guilty
to all counts. On April 2, 2019, Hall was sentenced to 190 months along with 3
years supervised release. Owens previously pled guilty to the robbery and
firearms offenses. On March 27, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H.
Lipman sentenced Owens to 96 months followed by 3 years supervised release.
At sentencing, the Court determined that all five defendants
had prior adult criminal convictions and/or juvenile delinquent histories.
Further, the Court found that Somerville was a member and leader in the Kitchen
Crips street gang, and that Hall, Poindexter, and Owens were also members of
the Kitchen Crips gang in Covington. During the sentencing hearing for
Somerville, Timothy Edwards’ wife, Katrice Edwards made a statement to the
Court, calling Somerville an "evil monster" who had no remorse for
what he had done, and that Somerville is a "natural born killer" who
changed her life forever, and who needs to spend the rest of his life behind
bars. The Court also found that after his arrest and trial, Somerville
continued to threaten and intimidate cooperating witnesses who gave information
and testimony against him.
On July 18, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman
sentenced Somerville to life imprisonment plus ten years; Poindexter was
sentenced to 330 months imprisonment and 4 years supervised release; and
Sherrill was sentenced to 330 months imprisonment and 4 years supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Willie
Somerville and his fellow Kitchen Crips gang members have terrorized Covington
and Tipton County for years with their brazen violence, robbery crews, trigger-pullers,
and general lawlessness. The violent nature of these offenders’ criminal acts
underscores the serious threat that this group posed to the community as a
whole. Somerville sowed the destructive winds of gang violence, and he shall
now reap the whirlwind of a life sentence. The 4 other members of his crew had
no regard for human life and no respect for the law, and will now be removed
from the Covington community for decades. We commend the outstanding
investigative work by our law enforcement partners, and we are pleased that
justice has been achieved for the Edwards family."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Covington Police
Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Pritchard and Elizabeth
Rogers prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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