Posted on 02/14/2008 1:21:25 PM PST by nuconvert
A startling arrest in twin's death
Brother of slain East High youth charged in his murder
By Theodore Decker and Simone Sebastian
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The twins did everything together.
Relatives said they were inseparable. A teacher called them "two peas in a pod."
And after Dennis Lewis, 17, was shot and killed while rushing to defend his mother during what appeared to be a robbery at their North Linden home last month, his twin, Derris, stood strong.
He spoke for the family. He spoke to their teachers and peers at East of Arcadia High School, where he continued to attend class and keep his grades up. He sang at Dennis' funeral, where he was a pall bearer and where the obituary handed out to mourners declared: "Derris was his BEST FRIEND."
But yesterday, Columbus homicide detectives charged Derris Lewis in Dennis' death. Derris is charged with delinquency counts of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping. He was being held pending a Juvenile Court appearance this morning. Though 18 now, he was 17 when his brother was killed.
Prosecutors said they will seek to try him as an adult. He has no criminal record.
Those who know the family are stunned.
Relatives in Columbus declined to comment through a cracked front door yesterday afternoon, but Nena Spencer, who is married to the boys' father, Dennis Spencer, said the accusations made by police are impossible to fathom.
"No way," she said from their home in Jackson, Miss. "Never. Never in a million years could Derris have had anything to do with this."
Police said they have physical evidence that puts Derris Lewis in the home that Dennis Lewis shared with their mother, April, at 1161 Loretta Ave. on the morning of Jan. 18, when masked men broke in and demanded money.
Sgt. Dana Norman of the homicide squad would not detail that evidence.
He said April Lewis did not know her son was involved. He would not reveal what, if anything, the intruders took from the home and said a motive remains unclear.
"We're still stumped on that," he said. Police don't know who else was involved, he said.
Derris Lewis was arrested after arriving at police headquarters for an interview yesterday morning. He did not confess, police said.
Police would not say whether they think he was the shooter.
The news shocked East High School band director Martha Hal, who spoke by telephone with Derris as recently as Tuesday night. Both boys were active in the band, with Dennis playing the sousaphone and Derris serving as drum major.
"We were just talking about life, work and how he's doing," Hal said.
Hal said she talks daily with Derris and described him as being "distraught and sad like we all have" been since his brother's death.
"Until I talk to Derris and he tells me it's true or not -- and I don't believe it is -- then I won't believe it," Hal said. "I'm amazed. I just cannot believe this. My heart cannot take much more of this at all."
Michael Hicks, a social-studies teacher at East, had Derris and Dennis on his volleyball team. Derris had been coming to school as early as 6:45 a.m. some days to use Hicks' classroom computers to work on school assignments.
"He hasn't missed a single day since (Dennis died)," Hicks said. "He's kept up with his grades. ... He's completely dedicated to his academics. He's trying to put it behind him because his brother would never have wanted him to stop."
He said Dennis and Derris were competitive with each other, but not unusually so. During volleyball games, he said, "when one was playing the other would be cheering for him. They were like two peas in a pod. Always together."
Derris, who lived with his girlfriend of three years, was a member of the National Honor Society and the school's "Tiger Tech" robotics team.
Nena Spencer said she and her husband have spoken to Derris repeatedly since Dennis died and saw nothing that would point to his involvement.
"They did everything together," she said of the twins. "I know the truth will come out, whatever that may be, and Derris will be exonerated.
"He had nothing to do with it," she insisted. "Derris doesn't have that type of spirit in him to do this."
Let’s see.....Divorced parents...dad lives in another state, and the twin lives with a girlfriend although he’s still in HIGH SCHOOL!!! RECIPE for DISASTER!!!
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Derris Lewis stands next to the coffin of his twin brother, Dennis, at his funeral. Dennis was shot Jan. 18 trying to protect his mother during a robbery. Derris, now 18, was charged yesterday with delinquency counts of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping. |
Ok, what’s with the microphone?
Until I saw the photo, I had no idea that they were black—not that it makes any difference.
Actually, the photo confirmed my initial suspicion (blame the names)—not that it makes any difference.
Article says he sang at the funeral.
According to the article, he sang at the funeral.
A cesspool.
I’m a bit confused. He was rushing to defend his mother in what looked like a robbery. The mother was there when it happened. Did she not see who did the shooting? Maybe I missed something here but as is often the case the story could have been more clear.
OMG! I am ASHAMED that I didn’t catch that!!! What DID the mother say and see??
I raised twin boys and more than once could envision one killing the other!
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