Twomore chargedinhomicide, Id’dby cooperatingdefendant
Two men were charged Monday in connection to an April homicide on Mt. Pleasant’s south side, identified by the third man charged, who told police that all five of them intended to rob the victim of drugs and money.
Antony Smiles and Jesse Hinton Jr., both 20, were arraigned Monday afternoon before Magistrate Sandra Straus.
Both were charged with open murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, assault with intent to rob while armed, first-degree home invasion, two counts of assault with a dangerousweapon and four counts of felony firearm. Open murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and assault with intent to robwhile armed potentially carry life sentences; firstdegree home invasion is a 20-year felony; assault with a dangerous weapon is a four-year felony; and felony firearmis a two-year felony with the sentence running consecutive to the underlying crimes.
A criminal complaint filed with the court says that the third man charged cooperated with the police investigation, identifying Smiles, of Macomb, and Hinton Jr., of Chicago, as present. Robert Jamison, a 20-year- old Chicago man charged in mid-august, also told police that all five of them had intended to rob the victim of marijuana and money and split it five ways.
Smiles and Hinton were arrested by the Michigan State Police last week, the fourth and fifth suspects in the murder of Raven Tre-von Edelen just before 6 p.m. on April 20.
The first two, Miykael Norfleat and Justin Collins, were arrested a few days after the incident and charged with open murder, first- degree home invasion and felony firearm. Norfleat, a 20-year- old man from Chicago, was additionally charged with carrying a concealed weapon.
A third man, Robert Jamison, 20, of Chicago, was arrested in mid-august and charged. It was believed at the time that Jamison drove Norfleat and Collins, a 22 year old from Mt. Pleasant, to the 500 block of Edgewood Drive, where Norfleat is believed to have shot Edelen, who also went by Ray Nori.
Edelen was in his apartment, playing video games, when Norfleat burst in and hurled a curse at him.
The two other people in the apartment fled out the window, where one of them identified Collins as present. Both witnesses also cooperated with the police investigation.
Inside the apartment, Edelen and Norfleat are believed to have wrestled for control of the gun. Edelen was shot during the struggle. Hewas dead by the time police arrived.
Jamison told police that Smiles and Hinton Jr. were both in the car while Norfleat committed the robbery. Jamison didn’t mention Collins, according to the complaint, except to say that he lived with Norfleat.
At the time, the shooting was believed to have been part of an ongoing feud between Edelen and Collins and Collins’ girlfriend. Jamison told police that he, Smiles and Hinton planned to rob Edelen and that no one was supposed to get hurt. They contacted Norfleat.
Jamison’s red car was spotted on surveillance cameras leaving an apartment in Deerfield Village shortly before the shooting. It was also seen returning shortly after the shooting.
When police searched the apartment, they found a gun suspected of being used in duct work. Although that gun’s serial numbers were scratched off, police discovered that it was reported stolen from Hamtramck.