Midland Apartment Murder Started As Drug Robbery
By: Dylan Brooks
Updated: January 6, 2012
MIDLAND -- Investigators say recent murder at a Midland apartment complex started
out as a
drug robbery.
Edwin Ledell Smith Jr., Grant Fowler, and Reginald Omar Anders Jr are facing federal charges for the December 23rd fatal shooting. Smith, 20, Fowler, 19, and Anders, 21, were being held in federal custody Thursday.
Drug Enforcement Agency agents say Smith and Fowler tried to steal some marijuana from Tovorian Carter at the Park at Caldera apartments around 1 AM on December 23rd.
Court documents state that Anders drove Fowler and Smith to Carter's apartment at the complex in a dark Dodge Durango.
Anders allegedly waited in the vehicle while Fowler and Smith attempted to rob Carter. Fowler was reportedly wearing a ski mask at the time.
Investigators say Fowler and Smith kicked down Carter's door, only to find Carter pointing a gun at them. At that point, Smith reportedly tried to shoot Carter, but Smith's .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun misfired.
Agents say Smith fired another round at Carter, hitting him. Investigators say Smith and Fowler ran off without the drugs after the shooting, and Anders drove them away from the complex.
Carter, 25, was rushed to Midland Memorial Hospital after the shooting, where he was later pronounced dead.
Authorities reportedly found 14 pounds of marijuana in Carter's apartment during the investigation. They later found Smith's gun in a field of of West County Road 120 in Midland County.
Now, Smith, Fowler and Anders are facing federal charges for intentionally and knowingly committing a robbery, using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence and aiding and abetting.
The three men and Ashton Patrice Brazell, 17, are also facing capital murder charges in Midland County. All four were arrested on December 31st.
Midland County court documents have been sealed by the 385th District Court.
Brazell, 17, was being held in the Midland County Detention Center on $250,000 bond Thursday evening. Federal court documents indicate that she was in the Dodge Durango with Anders when the shooting occurred.
A Preliminary and Detention hearing for Smith, Fowler and Anders is scheduled for 9:30 AM on Tuesday, January 10th in federal court in Midland.
The hearing was originally scheduled for Friday morning, but the U.S. Department of Justice tells Big 2 that the defendants filed a motion of continuance -- and Judge David Counts agreed to move the hearing back.
Edwin Ledell Smith Jr., Grant Fowler, and Reginald Omar Anders Jr are facing federal charges for the December 23rd fatal shooting. Smith, 20, Fowler, 19, and Anders, 21, were being held in federal custody Thursday.
Drug Enforcement Agency agents say Smith and Fowler tried to steal some marijuana from Tovorian Carter at the Park at Caldera apartments around 1 AM on December 23rd.
Court documents state that Anders drove Fowler and Smith to Carter's apartment at the complex in a dark Dodge Durango.
Anders allegedly waited in the vehicle while Fowler and Smith attempted to rob Carter. Fowler was reportedly wearing a ski mask at the time.
Investigators say Fowler and Smith kicked down Carter's door, only to find Carter pointing a gun at them. At that point, Smith reportedly tried to shoot Carter, but Smith's .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun misfired.
Agents say Smith fired another round at Carter, hitting him. Investigators say Smith and Fowler ran off without the drugs after the shooting, and Anders drove them away from the complex.
Carter, 25, was rushed to Midland Memorial Hospital after the shooting, where he was later pronounced dead.
Authorities reportedly found 14 pounds of marijuana in Carter's apartment during the investigation. They later found Smith's gun in a field of of West County Road 120 in Midland County.
Now, Smith, Fowler and Anders are facing federal charges for intentionally and knowingly committing a robbery, using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence and aiding and abetting.
The three men and Ashton Patrice Brazell, 17, are also facing capital murder charges in Midland County. All four were arrested on December 31st.
Midland County court documents have been sealed by the 385th District Court.
Brazell, 17, was being held in the Midland County Detention Center on $250,000 bond Thursday evening. Federal court documents indicate that she was in the Dodge Durango with Anders when the shooting occurred.
A Preliminary and Detention hearing for Smith, Fowler and Anders is scheduled for 9:30 AM on Tuesday, January 10th in federal court in Midland.
The hearing was originally scheduled for Friday morning, but the U.S. Department of Justice tells Big 2 that the defendants filed a motion of continuance -- and Judge David Counts agreed to move the hearing back.
