Grand jury indicts man in killing of Lynchburg resident

By Chris Dumond

Published: July 7, 2008

A man accused of murdering a Lynchburg resident at the Super 8 motel on Candlers Mountain Road on April 20 was indicted Monday by a grand jury.

In an unusually heavy grand jury meeting, an adult and four juveniles accused of participating in the robbery and shooting of a Citgo clerk on Campbell Avenue on April 24 were also indicted, as was another juvenile accused of shooting Allied cabbie Greg Powell in September.

Marcious Cousins, 25, of Locust Grove in Orange County, was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Cousins is accused of shooting Michael Blanchard Jr., 24, at the Super 8 motel.

According to testimony at Cousins’ preliminary hearing, Blanchard and a friend got into an argument with Cousins in the motel parking lot, with two witnesses stating Blanchard punched Cousins through the window of his Chevrolet before the shooting. He faces life in prison if convicted.

Cousins’ trial is scheduled for Aug. 25.

In the Citgo case, Jacob Hudson, 17; Jonathan Edward Jackson, 18; Keshawn O’Neal Hubbard, 17; and Damontez Daquan Hubbard, 15, were indicted on charges of aggravated malicious wounding, robbery and two counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Keshawn Hubbard and Jackson also were indicted on a charge wearing a mask in public.

Jackson was 17 at the time of the robbery. All four are being prosecuted as adults.

Kionne Pulley, 20, was indicted on charges of aggravated malicious wounding, robbery and two counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

According to testimony in earlier hearings, Pulley and five juveniles intended only to rob the gas station when Pulley shot the clerk in the head.

All face a maximum penalty of life in prison. The juveniles’ trial is scheduled for Sept. 15. Pulley’s trial is scheduled for Sept. 22.

Charges against the fifth juvenile, Travis O’Neal Thomas, 17, will be heard later. Thomas has testified against his codefendants.

Shandre Saunders, 16, was indicted on charges of aggravated malicious wounding and use of a firearm in commission of a felony in the shooting of Allied Cab driver Greg Powell on Sept. 7 near the intersection of 12th Street and Garfield Avenue.

Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Chuck Felmlee said Saunders was also indicted on a new charge of gang participation Monday after earlier testimony that Powell was struck while Saunders was shooting at rival gang members across the street.

Saunders is also being prosecuted as an adult. He faces life in prison and as many as 10 years in prison if convicted of the new gang charge.

Also indicted Monday were:

- Joseph Sebastion Calderon, 22, on a count of forcible sodomy involving a 16-year-old girl;

- Randall Pierre Hamlet, 18, on two counts of rape involving a 12-year-old girl; and

- Bridget Marie McCray, 26, on one count of carnal knowledge of a minor and one count of rape involving a 14-year-old boy.