Felony robbery charges against youngest teen during first murder of 2021 will be tried in superior, rather than juvenile, court
A criminal case involving one of three teens from High Point charged in Alamance County’s first homicide of the year has been transferred to superior court, where he will be tried as an adult.
The identity of 17-year-old Rendretius Jyheim Greene, black male, of 713 Old Winston Road, High Point, was not disclosed due to his juvenile status during a press conference that Alamance County sheriff Terry Johnson and district attorney Sean Boone held in January to announce the arrests of three suspects in the murder of William Gene Williams, III, 25, white male, of 2233 Durham Street Extension in Burlington, early Monday, January 4. EMS workers who responded to Williams’ residence were unable to revive him.
Boone confirmed Wednesday morning for The Alamance News that Greene’s case has been transferred to superior court. Sixteen and 17-year-olds who are charged with crimes are no longer automatically tried as adults, under a state law that took effect in December 2019.
Greene is charged with felony robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit felony robbery. His case was transferred to superior court Monday following a hearing on a motion to revoke bond, according to Greene’s court file.
The three suspects fled the scene in a blue Nissan Altima and were later captured in Greensboro and taken into custody January 4, according to the sheriff’s department.
At least two of the teens are classified as validated members of the 9-Trey Bloods gang, Johnson said at the subsequent press conference. The youngest teen hadn’t yet been validated as a gang member, the sheriff said at the time. The suspects had come to Burlington after seeing firearms that Williams had posted for sale on social media, based on a description of the circumstances leading to his murder that were outlined during the January 5 press conference.
One of the teens had been allowed to inspect a 9mm Glock pistol that Williams had listed for sale when he turned the gun on Williams, shooting him multiple times and shooting at other victims inside the house, Johnson described.
The shooter, identified as Isaac Jermaine Weathersby, IV, 19, black male, of 723 Habersham Road in High Point, is charged with felony first-degree murder; felony robbery with a
dangerous weapon; and felony larceny of a firearm, according to the sheriff’s department.
Carlos Demetrius Robert Rogers, 19, black male, of 808 Putnam Street in High Point, is also charged with felony conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and felony
accessory after the fact of felony first-degree murder, for his alleged role as the driver of the Nissan Altima in which the trio fled the scene after Williams’ murder.
Graham attorney Keisha D. Bluford was appointed Monday to represent Greene, according to his court file. He is also facing several other charges in Davidson County, according to the state Administrative Office of the Courts.
Weathersby was previously convicted of felony larceny and given probation and community service in Guilford County in December 2017, according to the state Department of Corrections (DOC). He was convicted of felony breaking and entering in Davidson County in August 2018 and received probation, which was suspended, his DOC file states. In October 2019, Weathersby was convicted in Davidson County of felony larceny of a motor vehicle; felony speeding to elude arrest; and felony assault with a deadly weapon on government officers/employees and was sentenced to 1 ½ to 2 ½ years in prison but was released after eight months, according to DOC.
Weathersby’s probation for his 2018 conviction was revoked following his arrest in January, according to DOC. He is currently incarcerated at Polk Correctional Institution in Butner.
Neither Greene nor Rogers appear to have any prior criminal convictions, according to DOC. Any prior charges for which they may have been convicted as juveniles are not publicly available.
