NORFOLK, Va. – The death penalty is not off the table for a Navy veteran charged with killing a Virginia woman whose kidnapping inspired the creation of an Amber Alert-like system for missing adults.
Eric Brian Brown was arrested last year in connection with the September 2017 kidnapping of 19-year-old Ashanti Billie. Her body was found about 330 miles (530 kilometers) away from Norfolk, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The 46-year-old is charged with one count of kidnapping resulting in death and assault resulting in serious bodily injury and theft. A murder warrant from North Carolina remains unserved.
A spokesman for the U.S. attorney for Virginia’s eastern district tells The Virginian-Pilot no decision has been made regarding whether to seek the death penalty. Brown has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and isn’t currently competent to stand trial.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. (Photo: Pixabay)
