Murder Suspect Says He Killed
Eldred Teen Because He was a 'Snitch'
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
One of the people accused of killing an 18-year-old Eldred boy says he shot him because he was a snitch and he was arrogant.
That’s according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in District Judge Annette Easton’s office for 19-year-old Jonothan Prather of Coudersport.
He and 25-year-old Avery Buckingham are both charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of Samuel Miller. A 15-year-old girl is also facing charges.
According to the court papers, Prather told Buckingham “he needed to kill Miller because he is a snitch.” Buckingham told police Prather had been talkng about killing Miller for about three weeks. At around 8:30 p.m. on June 4 Prather, Buckingham, Miller, the 15-year-old and her sister went to the Foster Brook Wal-Mart to buy a spotlight. They then went to Coudersport, dropped off the 15-year-old’s sister, and then went to a pull-off on Prouty Road near a bridge.
At about 3 a.m. on June 5 Prather shot Miller multiple times. After emptying his .22 caliber rifle, Prather allegedly shot Miller again in the temple “because he wanted to make sure he was dead and didn’t want him to suffer.” An autopsy later showed that he was shot three times in the head and five times in the torso. Buckingham told police Prather then went through Miller’s pockets looking for money. Prather and Buckingam then allegedly dragged the body down the road and threw it into the creek while the 15-year-old held the spotlight.
A fisherman found Miller’s body in Prouty Run Creek at around 4:30 Saturday afternoon. Police then collected evidence and interviewed people to determine that Prather, Buckingham adn the girl were suspects.
The 15-year-old told police that Prather and Buckingham told her that “snitches get stitches, and that similar circumstances could befall her if she talked about this incident,” according to court papers.
She did, however, tell police that the gun Prather used was hidden in an attic.
Prather and Buckingam are both jailed without bail. Besides first-degree murder they are both charged with third-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and corruption of minors.
The 15-year-old is being held in a juvenile facility.
WESB/WBRR News Director
One of the people accused of killing an 18-year-old Eldred boy says he shot him because he was a snitch and he was arrogant.
That’s according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in District Judge Annette Easton’s office for 19-year-old Jonothan Prather of Coudersport.
He and 25-year-old Avery Buckingham are both charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of Samuel Miller. A 15-year-old girl is also facing charges.
According to the court papers, Prather told Buckingham “he needed to kill Miller because he is a snitch.” Buckingham told police Prather had been talkng about killing Miller for about three weeks. At around 8:30 p.m. on June 4 Prather, Buckingham, Miller, the 15-year-old and her sister went to the Foster Brook Wal-Mart to buy a spotlight. They then went to Coudersport, dropped off the 15-year-old’s sister, and then went to a pull-off on Prouty Road near a bridge.
At about 3 a.m. on June 5 Prather shot Miller multiple times. After emptying his .22 caliber rifle, Prather allegedly shot Miller again in the temple “because he wanted to make sure he was dead and didn’t want him to suffer.” An autopsy later showed that he was shot three times in the head and five times in the torso. Buckingham told police Prather then went through Miller’s pockets looking for money. Prather and Buckingam then allegedly dragged the body down the road and threw it into the creek while the 15-year-old held the spotlight.
A fisherman found Miller’s body in Prouty Run Creek at around 4:30 Saturday afternoon. Police then collected evidence and interviewed people to determine that Prather, Buckingham adn the girl were suspects.
The 15-year-old told police that Prather and Buckingham told her that “snitches get stitches, and that similar circumstances could befall her if she talked about this incident,” according to court papers.
She did, however, tell police that the gun Prather used was hidden in an attic.
Prather and Buckingam are both jailed without bail. Besides first-degree murder they are both charged with third-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and corruption of minors.
The 15-year-old is being held in a juvenile facility.
Comments
My prayers go out to the young mans family.
@"What is a 15 year old doing out at 3pm the morning?"
-Typically mornings don't have a 3pm. However, in the rare circumstances like these that they apparently do occur, it looks like what the 15 yr old was doing was assisting in a murder.
My condolences to the family of the murdured boy.