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[UPDATE] Murder Suspect Accused of Trying to Arrange Hit Man

By: Eyewitness News, Lanetra Bennett, Julie Montanaro Email
Updated: Mon 10:38 PM, Aug 20, 2012

UPDATED 8.20.2012 by Julie Montanaro

He's accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend and her brother and now he's accused of trying to kill a key witness too.

Deshon Thomas is behind bars, but deputies say that didn't stop him from trying to silence his former roomate who plans to testify against him at his upcoming trial.

Laqecia Herring and Sterling Conner were found shot to death in their Wolf Creek home in January 2011. Herring's boyfriend, Deshon Thomas, is accused of pulling the trigger.

Now Thomas is accused of trying to arrange murder number three and have a key witness against him killed.

"It could have happened at anytime because the person that was supposed to be doing it was in fact ... had made bond and was out," state attorney Willie Meggs said.

Yet the murder plot started coming unravelled right away. A tip led deputies to a fellow inmate. He claims Thomas asked him to kill Trentin Ross when he got out of jail.

He agreed to cooperate with deputies and once released, he proceeded to answer Thomas's calls from the jail. They were all recorded.

In one of the phone conversations, the inmate told Thomas "We're going to get him where he got to be got and get him gone, you understand what I'm saying?"

He went on to say, "We got a bulls eye on the **** ***** ... You gonna beat that trial, you're going to be outta here, you dig?" and Thomas said "Hell yeah."

Another inmate spoke up too and said Thomas passed him six hand written letters while he was in isolation.

Some of those letters were in gang code, deputies say, and outlined Thomas's plan to use a woman to lure Ross to his death and then silence what gang members call a "triple-nine" ... a snitch.

"It will clearly have an impact on the murder case," Meggs said.

We talked to Thomas's lawyer too. Greg Cummings says he is disappointed and fears this will delay Thomas's trial. It's set for October 22nd.

Cummings asked the court to remove him as defense attorney before Thomas was arrested on Friday. He cited an ongoing dispute between him and Thomas's mother. He says he was not aware of the new solicitation to commit murder charge until this morning.

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UPDATED 8.20.2012 noon by Julie Montanaro

A man accused of a Tallahassee double murder is now accused of trying to hire a hit man for one more.
ART
Prosecutors say he was trying to take out a key witness in his upcoming trial.
Deshon Thomas is accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend and her brother. And now, he's accused of solicitation to commit murder too.

20 year old Laquecia Harring and Sterling Conner were shot and killed in their Wolf Creek Home in January 2011. Deputy's say while in jail, the suspect Deshon Thomas, met a fellow gang member. Once that fellow gang member bonded out of jail, the two planned a hit on key witness Trenton Ross. Thomas said Ross drove him to the scene of the murder and drove him to drop off the murder weapon afterword. He says Ross started talking after he got busted for drugs.
Deputies say they have a series of letters written in gang code, as well as a series of phone conversations to prove it. Thomas' lawyer says he's disappointed and thinks this will delay the October trial.

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UPDATED 8.18.12 2:05pm

The man accused of killing a brother and sister in their home now faces another charge.

19-year-old Deshon Thomas was indicted in March of 2011 for the murders of Sterling Conner and Laqecia Herring in their Wolf Creek home, earlier in the year.

Herring was pregnant when she was killed.

Deputies say Herring and Thomas were romantically involved.
The Leon County Sheriff's Office says the State Attorney's Office is adding a charge of solicitation to committ first degree murder.

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UPDATED 3.9.2011 3:30pm by Julie Montanaro

Deshon Thomas has been indicted on two counts of first degree murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a juvenile delinquent.

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UPDATED 3.9.2011 by Julie Montanaro

17 year old Deshon Thomas stands accused of killing a brother and sister in their home in the Wolf Creek subdivision in January.

Now prosecutors are taking the case to a grand jury to try to get a murder indictment against Thomas.

That case is one of two murder cases being considered by a grand jury this morning.

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[UPDATE] 2-7 7:00pm

LCSO Makes Arrest in Wolf Creek Murders

On Thursday, January 27, 2011 at approximately 10:25 a.m. the Leon County Sheriff’s Office responded to 1740 Corey Wood Circle in reference to a death investigation. Upon their arrival, deputies discovered Laqecia Herring, 20, and Sterling Conner, Jr. 17, dead inside the residence. Detectives from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office searched the crime scene, canvassed the neighborhood and conducted interviews.

Autopsies performed on Friday, January 28, 2011 confirmed that Conner and Herring both died from gun shot wounds. Herring’s autopsy also confirmed that she was approximately 21 weeks pregnant. Violent Crimes detectives have continued pursuing leads, conducting interviews, serving search warrants and collecting physical evidence since the bodies were discovered.

During this investigation, detectives learned that Deshon Thomas, 17, had been in a relationship with Herring and she was pregnant. Witnesses also told detectives that Herring had discussed having an abortion, but had changed her mind. Detectives learned that Thomas was seen with a firearm before he arrived at the Corey Wood Circle address in the early morning hours of January 27, 2011. Detectives believe Thomas went to Herring and Conner’s residence to discuss their relationship and ultimately shot both Herring and Conner before leaving.

Picture of Thomas is attached.

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[UPDATE] 1-31

Detectives Continue Investigating Wolf Creek Deaths

On Thursday, January 27, 2011 at approximately 10:25 a.m. the Leon County Sheriff’s Office responded to 1740 Corey Wood Circle in reference to a death investigation. Upon their arrival, deputies discovered Laqecia Herring, 20, and Sterling Conner, Jr. 17, dead inside the residence.

Detectives from the Violent Crimes Unit and the Crime Scene Unit responded to the scene. Deputies and detectives collected forensic evidence from the crime scene, canvassed the neighborhood and are continuing to conduct interviews.

On Friday, January 28, 2011 detectives confirmed that Herring and Conner, Jr. appear to have been murdered. Autopsies are being performed on both Herring and Conner today and additional information will be available later.

Anyone with information about the deaths of Laqecia Herring and Sterling Conner, Jr. is asked to contact the Leon County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 922-3300 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 574-TIPS(8477). Remember, Crime Stoppers does not want your name, just your information. You may be eligible for up to a $1,000.00 reward.

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[UPDATE] 1-28 7:00pm

Deputies say a brother and sister found dead in their home on Thursday were murdered.

The victims have been identified. But, a suspect has not.

Kendrick Hunter says he can't believe he'll never see 17-year-old Sterling Conner walk through the doors of Life Skills Center in Tallahassee again.

He received a call Thursday about his former student's death.

Hunter said, "It was just devastating once I found out that I actually knew him and I actually spent time with him. I counseled him and spoke with him so many times. It was just unbelievable."

Conner and his sister--20-year-old Laqecia Herring--were found dead inside of their home at 1740 Corey Wood Circle in the Wolf Creek Subdivision off of Highway 20.

Deputies say a family member called 911 around 10:25 Thursday morning.

Detectives confirm that the siblings were murdered, but by who is still a mystery.

Hunter said, "The personality that Conner had, you wouldn't think that no one would do something like that to him. I mean, soft spoken. I don't see why someone would go do that to him and his sister."

Deputies say a one year old child was in the home at the time of the murders. But, say the child was unharmed.

Sharaine Williams is a student at Life Skills. She said, "It's sad to hear that about Sterling and his sister because they were young, and everyone deserves to live. I'm going to pray for his family."

Detectives say the child was safely taken from the scene by family-- family who friends say have lost two young people too soon.

Autopsies are being performed today on the bodies. Deputies say they hope to be able to release more information on how and when Conner and Herring were killed in the next few days.

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[UPDATE] 1-28 Noon --

On Thursday, January 27, 2011 at approximately 10:25 a.m. the Leon County Sheriff’s Office responded to 1740 Corey Wood Circle in reference to a death investigation. Upon their arrival, deputies discovered Laqecia Herring, 20, and Sterling Conner, Jr. 17, dead inside the residence. Detectives from the Violent Crimes Unit and the Crime Scene Unit responded to the scene.

Deputies and detectives collected forensic evidence from the crime scene, canvassed the neighborhood and are continuing to conduct interviews.

On Friday, January 28, 2011 detectives confirmed that Herring and Conner, Jr. appear to have been murdered. Autopsies are being performed on both Herring and Conner today and additional
information will be available later.

Anyone with information about the deaths of Laqecia Herring and Sterling Conner, Jr. is asked to contact the Leon County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 922-3300 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 574- TIPS(8477). Remember, Crime Stoppers does not want your name, just your information. You may be eligible for up to a $1,000.00 reward.

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UPDATE 1-27 6:22pm

Leon County Sheriff's Deputies were out all day at the Wolf Creek Subdivision off of Highway 20...
But, they are not ready to say exactly what happened at this home on the corner...What we do know... is that two people were found dead.

Christina Littles says she didn't know Leon County Sheriff's Deputies had a nearby home surrounded by crime scene tape and marked cars... until investigators knocked on her door to ask if she'd heard or seen anything suspicious...
But, what they didn't tell her was that two bodies were found in the Wolf Creek Subdivision off of Highway 20.

Littles says, "Really? Ah, yeah, they haven't told me anything. That's actually very, actually scary. Living that close and knowing that anything could've happen; my life could've been in danger just as well."

Deputies were called to 1740 Corey Wood Circle around 10:25 Thursday morning...
They say that's where they found the two people dead.

Kyle Johnson, a Wolf Creek resident, says, "It's surprising. I haven't had any problems around here before. It seems like a pretty peaceful neighborhood. I've never seen anything like that before."

Deputies say it was a family member who dialed 911...Other family members console each other at the scene as they wait for answers. Forensic specialists search for them in front of the home while a K-9 unit works the back.

Michael Gullage, another Wolf Creek resident, adds, "It's really wierd because since we've lived here there's never really been any cops here. Our neighbors are really nice, we've talked to them. It's just kind of weird."

Deputies have not released any information on the identities of the two people who were found dead...
They haven't given their ages...or even if they were male or female.

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[UPDATE] 1-27 12:26

LCSO reports that two people have been found dead at 1740 Corey Wood Circle off Highway 20 in the Wolf Creek Subdivision. Investigators are calling the circumstances of the deaths "suspicious" at this time. Stay with WCTV.tv for updates.

The 911 call was made by a family member. The two people who died were the residents of the home.

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The Leon County Sheriff's Office is involved in a death investigating off Highway 20 at Nena Hills Drive and Corey Wood Circle, according to Sgt. James McQuaig with LCSO. Sheriff Campbell is also at the scene. It is not known if deputies are investigating one death or multiple deaths at this time.

WCTV has a reporter on the scene and we will bring you details as they become available.


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