A man who allegedly killed his friend after he insulted his mother will face trial for first-degree murder this coming year.
The alleged killer, Wesley Leverett, 25, is accused of murdering Barry Cole, 55, inside the victim’s small Morford Street residence in February. Leverett was arrested just over a week after Cole’s body was discovered. He had been beaten and his throat cut.
The key piece of evidence came when it was discovered Leverett had used Cole’s cellphone to call his mother shortly after he killed the victim. Lawmen then began questioning the suspects and discovered Leverett’s mother had come to the residence and saw the body but did not report the killing. Instead she and her son reportedly took evidence from the scene and took it to Leverett’s grandparents who helped dispose of the evidence by burning it.
Statements taken during the investigation revealed Leverett and Cole were friends and had been hanging out when Cole reportedly made a comment about Leverett’s mother. The defendant reportedly went into a fit of rage and killed Cole.
Leverett will go to trial this September. His mother and grandparents will go to trial at a later date for being accessories after the fact.
