Police: Homicide suspect used EBT card at 5 Corner Lotto day of shooting

One of the five murder suspects in the 5 Corner Lotto shooting used his alleged accomplice’s EBT card at the store hours before the homicide, according to court testimony Monday.

Kimberly Huffman, 30, and Courtney Williams, 26, pleaded not guilty in Columbus Recorder’s Court. Judge Julius Hunter ordered them held without bond in the Muscogee County Jail.

The other three suspects, Dominique Collins, 18, Jalontaye Cleveland, 18, and Joshua Tucker, 17, have previously pleaded not guilty to charges related to the case.

During Monday’s hearing, officials said they obtained a surveillance video that showed Collins at the 1231 Linwood Blvd. business around 8 a.m. Nov. 6. He allegedly used Huffman’s EBT card at the store that day and the day prior, according to police.

Columbus Police Sgt. Anthony Locey said authorities were called to the store around 9:53 that night and found 23-year-old Vastal Patel and his father suffering from gunshot wounds outside the business. Patel, who was employed at the store, was pronounced dead at Midtown Medical Center and his father, who owns it, was treated and released.

Locey said officials also obtained a surveillance video that showed a black GMC Yukon XL Denali arriving on the scene from the 17th Street area and circling the building. Three black men wearing masks and gloves left the area where the SUV pulled onto the scene and headed to the side of the building near Linwood Boulevard.

Locey said they waited outside as the victims closed the business and locked the store. Two of the men were armed with handguns and one was on a cellphone when they approached the father and son, according to police.

One individual shot the father in the stomach through a gallon carton of milk he was holding. Patel then tried to unlock the doors and go back into the business, Locey said.

That’s when an armed suspect continued to fire several shots, striking him in the upper back as he was fleeing with the other suspects. Officials confirmed that only one weapon was fired, but they have yet to name the shooter.

Authorities also determined that Huffman owns the GMC the men fled in after the homicide. Locey said she’s known to lend her vehicle to Williams, who officials identified as her boyfriend during a preliminary hearing in May where she pleaded not guilty to an unrelated armed robbery.

Throughout February and March, authorities captured all five suspects. Williams and Huffman were arrested in the 5800 block of Forrest Road on March 15.

During interviews with detectives, Williams denied any involvement in the incident and Huffman claimed that her EBT card was stolen. Officials said she didn’t report it prior to the interview.

Locey told the court they have evidence that Williams used the card at Walgreens the day of the homicide and Huffman has been the only one using it since March 10. She was charged with falsifying documents, which she pleaded not guilty to Monday morning.

Police said Huffman purchased a firearm from a Columbus pawnshop in that’s the same caliber of the weapon used in the shooting. Officials said they have yet to confirm whether the weapon she bought was the gun used in the homicide.

Officials said Huffman, who also pleaded not guilty to hindering apprehension of a person, admitted to meeting up with Williams multiple times after the homicide. Locey said she helped him financially and provided him with transportation.

Williams, who didn’t have an attorney, asked Locey during the hearing how they were able to link him to the homicide.

“Your cellphone was at the scene during the incident,” Locey responded. “Your 770 number. I did a tower dump and your number comes up talking to Dominique’s phone.”

Williams, who pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault in the Nov. 6 shooting, also asked if surveillance video shows him on the scene.

“Nope, but I have your phone at the scene and three co-defendants that admitted that you were there,” Locey responded.

Tucker, Collins and Cleveland pleaded not guilty to murder and aggravated assault. Judge Julius Hunter bound all charges over to Superior Court.

This story was originally published March 27, 2017 at 2:35 PM with the headline "Police: Homicide suspect used EBT card at 5 Corner Lotto day of shooting."