KATV gets the jump on news that Prosecutor Henry Boyce has charged two people in the June 12 shooting death of Newport Police Lt. Patrick Weatherford, killed in a chase of a car break-in suspect. There’s a new suspect for who fired the fatal shot.
Boyce said he’d charged Derrick Heard, 16, of Newport and Tyler Calamese, 18.
Heard is to be charged as an adult with capital murder, attempted capital murder, breaking or entering, theft of property and possession of a handgun by a minor.
Boyce says Calamese was charged Wednesday with breaking or entering, theft of property and furnishing a deadly weapon to a minor.
Calamese has been in custody since the day of the shooting. Though he wasn’t formally charged, he was suspected. He surrendered to police that day and news accounts said he’d admitted the shooting. His family had said he didn’t shoot the officer.
From KATV:
“This investigation has been an intensive effort and we are confident the evidence in the case will support the charges filed today,” Boyce stated.
The Democrat-Gazette reported that a juvenile was arrested Friday on a probation revocation and suggested that might have ties to the case. The study of video evidence was said to be holding up a final