Two indicted in murder of high school student

Published 10:49 pm Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The grand jury this week indicted two teenagers accused in the August shooting death of 18-year-old Lakeland High School student TyQuan Lewis.

Dontaz Latray Wilkerson and Randy Sherrod Copeland Jr., both 19, each were indicted on charges of murder, using a firearm in the commission of a felony and other charges. Both have initial court dates set for later this week.

Police say the two were involved in the murder of Lewis early in the morning on Aug. 1 after Lewis and Wilkerson attended a party together on Manning Road, where a large fight broke out.

Email newsletter signup

At the time of the arrests, police said Wilkerson was the shooter, while Copeland was present at the time of the shooting and provided Wilkerson with the firearm he used.

The incident reportedly began at a back-to-college party at the Bethlehem Ruritan clubhouse. At 12:43 a.m., a female 911 caller said there was a fight at the party, and that some people had guns.

City spokeswoman Debbie George said at the time that Lewis and Wilkerson left the party and met up on Spruce Street, where they again argued. They departed that location and finally met again on Walnut Street, near Booker T. Washington Elementary School. A 911 call at 1:38 a.m. reported shots fired in that area.

Wilkerson was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, using a firearm in the commission of murder, three counts of attempted malicious wounding, shoot/stab in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a violent felon, three counts of using a firearm in a malicious wounding, and shooting a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school.

Copeland was indicted on charges of both second-degree murder, the original charge, and first-degree murder. The second-degree charge will be superseded by the first-degree charge.

The indictments also charge him with using a firearm in the commission of a felony, shoot/stab in the commission of a felony, three counts of attempted malicious wounding and three counts of using a firearm in a malicious wounding.