One suspect pleads guilty. Four others in court for 2018 murder at Columbus Pizza Hut.
The murder case involving a Columbus man’s fatal shooting in a Pizza Hut parking lot over 15 pounds of marijuana goes to trial this week in Muscogee Superior Court.
It began Monday with one of the five defendants pleading guilty before visiting Judge David Emerson.
Like his four co-defendants, Eric Randall Spencer Jr., 28, had been charged with murder in the April 6, 2018, death of Branden Denson at the 4236 Buena Vista Road restaurant, where robbers took a suitcase of marijuana from Denson’s Jeep Wrangler, according to police.
In a deal to secure his testimony, Spencer pleaded guilty only to armed robbery, using a firearm to commit a crime and being a convicted felon with a firearm.
Emerson sentenced him to 25 years in prison, with 10 to serve and the rest on probation, following the terms of a deal defense attorney Susan Henderson made with prosecutors.
Among the conditions of his sentence were that he testify truthfully at trial, be banished from Muscogee County, have no contact with the other suspects, and get a job within 90 days of his release from prison
Spencer already was on probation in two other felony cases from 2009, including burglary and robbery by snatching, and that probation period was not to end until Sept. 14, 2029, a probation officer told the court.
Before his plea Monday, attorneys asked the judge to tell reporters in the courtroom to not publish Spencer’s image, noting he had been attacked in jail, and he and his family had been threatened because of his anticipated testimony.
Emerson said he did not believe he could grant that request.
Headed to trial
After Spencer’s plea, Emerson proceeded with jury selection for the trial of the other four defendants.
Here are their names, charges and attorneys:
- Dover Bartlett Coppins, 27, charged with murder, armed robbery, using a gun to commit a crime and being a convicted felon with a firearm. He is represented by Shevon Thomas.
- Tommie Jamal Mullins Jr., 28, charged with murder and armed robbery. He is represented by Stacey Jackson.
- Tyree Jaquan Smith, 24, charged with murder and armed robbery. He is represented by William Kendrick.
- Johnathon Lemorris Swift, 30, charged with murder and armed robbery. He’s represented by Michael Eddings.
Asked to outline the evidence as Spencer pleaded Monday, Acting District Attorney Sheneka Terry said the suspects had planned to meet Denson at the Pizza Hut to buy the marijuana with counterfeit money.
Police said Denson waited 10 to 20 minutes in his Jeep before four people in a rented Kia pulled up about 10:30 p.m.
Three people got out the Kia, grabbed Denson’s suitcase of marijuana and shot him three times in the back, leaving him dead in the driver’s seat, detectives said.
This was captured on a nearby business’ security cameras, but the recording is not clear enough to recognize faces, investigators said.
Denson, 32, also was known by the rap name “Billion Dollar BD.”
During a 2018 preliminary hearing for Mullins in Columbus Recorder’s Court, Detective Robert Nicholas testified a witness told police the suspects met with Mullins before the shooting, so that he could assign each a role in the scheme. Police have said they believe Mullins arranged the rendezvous with Denson.
The suspects again met with Mullins after the robbery, and Mullins divided the marijuana between them, and congratulated Coppins for having fired the fatal shots, Nicholas said.
This story was originally published March 21, 2022 at 10:26 AM.