A judge found probable cause that Jarod Yorkshire committed first-degree murder and obstruction of justice for his alleged role in the death of Derrick Ragland.
Yorkshire, 21, is the second suspect linked to Ragland’s murder. In September, a judge declared a mistrial in the case against Raymond Faunteroy after jurors couldn’t reach a verdict on any charges against him.
“The evidence is pretty compelling,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Kirschner said. “He is knee deep in murder.”
Kirschner argued that Yorkshire directly participated in Ragland’s murder. “He called to tell Faunteroy Ragland’s location and he also directed the driver where to pick up Faunteroy after he killed Ragland,” Kirschner said.
According to charging documents, Faunteroy and Yorkshire killed Ragland, 19, in retaliation for Ragland using a fake gun sale to rob them at gunpoint just three days earlier.
Police discovered Ragland suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the 1000 block of Taylor Street Northeast. He died at a local hospital.
MPD Detective Michael Fulton testified that Yorkshire admitted to police that he told Faunteroy where to find Ragland, and that he was in the car that picked up Faunteroy.
Yorkshire said he thought Faunteroy was going to “talk to” or “beat him up,” Fulton said.
Kirschner mentioned that Yorkshire was “smirking and smiling” while Kirschner argued that Yorkshire threatened witnesses to “Don’t say anything.”
During Faunteroy’s trial in July, documents say Yorkshire and another individual conspired to kill a witness who had agreed to testify against Faunteroy.
According to court documents, a witness known as “White Boy” was riding in the back seat of a car heading down Taussig Street with Yorkshire and another individual when they picked Faunteroy up. The witness told police that Faunteroy admitted to shooting Ragland.
In a recorded phone conversation from August 5, the associate asked Yorkshire if he planned to help kill White Boy. Yorkshire answered, “Well, yeah.”
Defense attorney Steven Kiersh waived his right to argue on Yorkshire’s behalf and “submitted on probable cause.”
Yorkshire and Faunteroy will appear as co-defendants in Faunteroy’s retrial on May 12, 2015.
Yorkshire is scheduled for a felony status conference at 9:30 a.m. on March 2, 2015, before Judge Jennifer Anderson.
