Gang member blames killing on dead teen, Columbus police say

The murder suspect in the Aug. 15 shooting on Wickam Drive blamed the homicide on the 18-year-old who was killed on Henson Drive two weeks later, according to testimony Monday in Columbus Recorder’s Court.

Clayton Perry, 17, pleaded not guilty to murder, armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He was ordered held without bond in the Muscogee County Jail.

Judge Julius Hunter bound the case over to Superior Court.

Columbus police were called to the 200 block of Wickam Drive around 9:30 p.m. Aug. 15 to investigate a shooting.

Officials found 26-year-old James Francesconi suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. He was shot while sitting in a car in his driveway, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said.

Francesconi was rushed to Midtown Medical Center, where he was on life support before he was pronounced dead two days later at 12:40 p.m.

Cpl. Robert Nicholas said they received an anonymous tip early in the investigation from someone who gave a Facebook username of the shooter. They said the person who owned the account was the shooter in the Wickam Drive homicide.

Officials identified that Facebook user as Perry. With no further information or evidence tying Perry to the crime, officials said they refrained from issuing a warrant for his arrest.

Perry was taken into custody on Aug. 31 as one of about 12 alleged gang members tied to a massive burglary ring. They collectively face 118 charges, Maj. Gil Slouchick said in a news release.

Authorities have identified many of the suspects, including Perry, as members of the Zohannon gang. It’s a subset of the Gangster Disciples, which authorities said is the largest gang operating in Columbus.

Cpl. Robert Nicholas said Perry was being interviewed when he indicated that he knew Francesconi. He identified 18-year-old Tremaine Taylor as an individual who was involved in the deadly Wickam Drive shooting.

Taylor, who authorities said has committed crimes with Perry, was killed around 1:26 a.m. in a shooting on Henson Drive. No one has been charged in that homicide.

The defendant told detectives that Taylor had “money on his head from gang members here in Columbus for having been involved in the shooting of Mr. James Francesconi,” Nicholas said.

“However, he could provide no further information,” Nicholas testified. “So again that information was collected and put on the back burner as the investigation continued.”

On Oct. 10, another individual told police that Perry and Taylor were in their residence talking about how they shot and tried to rob Francesconi.

“This individual was able provide to us some of the details of what they heard Mr. Perry talking about,” Nicholas testified. “Those details were absolutely accurate to details and evidence that were on the scene and documented by our id techs having been at the scene. This in formation that was not part of the original report of the shooting and information that has not in anyway been released to the public.”

A few days later, a man who identified himself as a member of the Zohannon gang reported to police that Perry and Taylor told him that they tried to rob Francesconi of marijuana and cash.

Police said the gang member also gave details about the shooting that have yet to be released to the public, such as what was taken from the victim. His aunt said a cellphone was among the items taken.

“This property that was described matches that Mr. Francesconi was known to carry,” Nicholas told the court. “This was returned to Mr. Francesconi own mother.”

This story was originally published October 23, 2017 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Gang member blames killing on dead teen, Columbus police say."