Three more charged in Durham kidnapping, shooting

Three more suspects have been charged in the Monday night kidnapping and shooting of two teens in Durham, bring the total number of people charged in the case to five, according to the the Durham County Sheriff's Office.

Posted 5:20 p.m. Aug 27, 2015 — Updated 8:52 p.m. Aug 27, 2015

DURHAM, N.C. — Three more suspects have been charged in the Monday night kidnapping and shooting of two teens in Durham, bring the total number of people charged in the case to five, according to the the Durham County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff's deputies on Thursday said they have arrested the following:

Brittany Sharnell Lassiter, 22, of 5903 Ludgate Drive in Durham, is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and felony conspiracy.
Jesus Arce, 24, address unavailable, is charged with first-degree kidnapping and felony conspiracy.
Dominique Faulkner, 19, address unavailable, is charged with two counts of felony conspiracy and felony probation violation.

Previously arrested were:

Quashaun Niajel Slade, 23, of 2507 E. Main St. in Durham, is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.
Alezia Clay, 19, of 3507 Thornwood Drive, is charged with two counts of first-degree kidnapping and two counts of felony conspiracy.

All five are accused in the kidnapping 19-year-old Dymond Fowler and her best friend, 17-year-old Alexis Patterson, on Monday night. The girls were shot multiple times and left in a ditch by Glenn Road. Patterson survived by playing dead, but Fowler died.

A Durham County courtroom was packed with family members Thursday who came for the first court appearance of Slade, Lassiter and Clay.

Assistant District Attorney Jim Dornfried on Thursday confirmed that the kidnappers demanded ransom money between $15,000 to $20,000.

"Two young ladies were kidnapped from a hotel. There was a call in reference for a ransom, and then shortly thereafter they were shot," he said.

Lassiter’s grandmother said in court that her granddaughter is not guilty of the crime.

“I don’t think she was there. I think Brittany is in a set-up,” Rachel Jones said. “Brittany would never engage in something like this. I know she’s innocent.”

Arce was in the courtroom to show his support for the three suspects. He was arrested when he left.

No bond was set for Slade and Lassiter while the state decides whether the case will be tried as a capital murder case. A $1 million bond was set for Clay, who is a student at Shaw University.

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