Third murder suspect pleads not guilty
Fourth man involved in killing is dead, DA says
KINGSTON, N.Y. >> A third suspect pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the November 2019 death of Kingston resident Myron Moye in what authorities have called a brutal and “targeted attack” at his home.
Christopher L. Jackson, 32, also known as Tahuti Neter, pleaded not guilty before Ulster County Judge Bryan Rounds to a 14-count indictment charging him with two counts of seconddegree murder, kidnapping (with intent to collect ransom), kidnapping, burglary of a dwelling (causing injury, two counts), robbery (causing serious injury), criminal possession of a loaded firearm, and conspiracy, all felonies. He was sent to Ulster County Jail without bail.
Christopher Jackson was the last of three men to be charged in the Nov. 1, 2019, home invasion death of Moye. Also charged in the 14-count indictment are Jacob Jackson, 23, and Melik Ozier “Wavynelz” Davis, 32, who have also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
District Attorney David Clegg said a fourth man, whom he identified as Jaquez Benekin, was also involved in the killing. He said Benekin, who is not named in the indictment, has since died. Benekin, 22, was reportedly shot and killed by a homeowner during a home invasion in Moncks Corner, South Carolina in December 2020, Clegg said.
Christopher Jackson was arrested by Kingston police at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 13, in Decatur, Georgia after the governors of New York and Georgia signed an extradition agreement authorizing his return to New York. Clegg said authorities were delayed in extraditing Jackson because he was “in some kind of mental
health facility claiming to be incapable of participating in an extradition hearing.”
Authorities said the four men conspired to rob Moye at his home at 38 W. O’Reilly St. They said the men plotted the robbery in the days leading up to Moye’s death and that sometime after midnight on Nov. 1, 2019, Christopher Jackson, Jacob Jackson and Benekin entered Moye’s house at 38 W. O’Reilly St., where they tied up two women and a child. One of the women was forced to call Moye to have him come home and when he arrived he was shot and stabbed, authorities said.
According to the indictment, the men “knowingly entered unlawfully in a dwelling with the intent to commit a crime” and “one or more participants of the crime was armed with a deadly weapon.” Additionally, “while acting in concert with another, forcibly stole property and while in the commission of the crime, he or another participant in the crime was armed with a deadly weapon.” The weapon was identified as a 9mm handgun.
Both Christopher Jackson and Jacob Jackson, according to the indictment, “possessed a loaded firearm.”
Clegg has said he doesn’t believe Davis was present when Moye was killed but that he was complicit in the killing and that Davis is charged with “acting in concert” with the two others.
The indictment alleges that on or about Oct. 28, 2019, Davis “communicated with Jacob Jackson about “tying kids up” and “doing a sunstroke’s,” a gang slang term for robbery, Further, the indictment alleges that on Oct. 31, Davis “performed internet searches for locations on West O’Reilly Street in Kingston,” and on or about Oct. 31, 2019, Davis “communicated with Jacob Jackson and Christopher Jackson about West O’Reilly Street in Kingston.”
“We believe that he was part of orchestrating the entire home invasion,” Clegg said following Wednesday’s proceeding. “Based on the facts, it appears it was intended to be a murder,” he added.
Clegg said “there is a connection between (Moye and the defendants) at different levels,” and that his office believes that the killing was gang-related, but whether it will be able to introduce evidence he said will prove that connection will be the subject of pretrial hearings.
Christopher Jackson and Davis are in Ulster County Jail without bail. Jacob Jackson is currently serving an unrelated 10year state prison term for two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
If convicted of murder, they each face a maximum sentence of 25 years to life.