De'Marquise Elkins, 17, and Dominique Lang, 15, charged with the shooting death of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago -- Brunswick, GA

Antonio Santiago

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Parents Of Murdered Brunswick Toddler Test Positive For Gunshot Residue

Posted: Jul 10, 2013 11:01 PM CDT Updated: Jul 31, 2013 11:11 PM CDT

By Shameca Kelley
By Raquel Rodriguez, Reporter

BRUNSWICK, GA -
There's a new twist in the case of a murdered Brunswick toddler. The parents of the thirteen-month-old both tested positive for traces of what investigators believe is gunshot residue. The new information comes from a motion filed by defense attorneys on June 27th.

The baby's mother, Sherry West, was at the fatal shooting scene in March, which would explain her exposure, but her husband Louis Santiago said he was shopping at Wal-Mart at the time.

WSAV's crime expert Gerry Long said there may be a reasonable explanation gunpowder residue was found on the dad.

"It's also possible that subsequent to the incident he had contact with the mother and there were some transfer and/or with the clothing of the child or the child themselves," said Long.

Right now, 17-year-old De'Marquise Elkins and 15-year-old Dominique Lang are charged as adults in the murder case.  

The case is set to go to trial August 19 in Cobb County near Atlanta.

Read more:

http://www.wsav.com/story/22811137/update-parents-test-positive-for-gunshot-residue-brunswick-toddler-shooting

RELATED ARTICLES:

Georgia boys face murder charges after cold-blooded killing of infant being strolled by mother

Sherry West, of Brunswick, Ga., says she was walking her 13-month-old son Antonio when she was allegedly robbed at gunpoint by De’Marquis Elkins, 17, and his 14-year-old accomplice. She had no money so one of the robbers told her, ‘I am going to kill your baby.’

By Adam Edelman AND Corky Siemaszko / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Published: Friday, March 22, 2013, 2:22 PM
Updated: Saturday, March 23, 2013, 12:12 AM

(Photos, Videos @ Link)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/cops-hunt-young-boys-baby-mom-shooting-article-1.1296312#commentpostform

Thank you so much for opening this thread as I would like to follow along too.

Ales, thank you for starting this thread. Very tragic and sad that an innocent, defenseless child died in such a horrific manner.

Photos: Jury selection begins in fatal shooting of Brunswick baby

Aug. 19, 2013

http://www.ajc.com/gallery/news/local/photos-jury-selection-begins-fatal-shooting-brunsw/gCCz8/#3766419

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Jury selection begins in baby-stroller-murder trial

Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013
By WALTER C. JONES

MARIETTA — Attorneys for a black teen accused of shooting to death a white baby complained Monday that there are no African-American males and just three black females in the jury pool.

The complaints arose in the first day of jury selection in the trial of De’Marquise Elkins who is accused of murder, aggravated assault, attempted robbery and cruelty to children. His mother, Karimah Aisha Elkins, is also on trial for evidence tampering and giving police false information.

Prosecutors say De’Marquise Elkins shot to death 13-month-old Antonio Angel Santiago on a Brunswick street last March while his mother Sherry West pushed his stroller.

The case was moved to Cobb County Superior Court because of the level of news coverage, but all but 11 of the 48 prospective jurors said they had heard something about the case as well. However, all but three said in questioning during the morning that they could set aside what they knew so far and try the case fairly based on courtroom testimony.

Read more:

http://m.savannahnow.com/news/2013-08-20/jury-selection-begins-baby-stroller-murder-trial

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Jury selection begins in Brunswick baby shooting



http://www.ajc.com/videos/news/jury-selection-begins-in-brunswick-baby-shooting/v9WRb/

All-white jury seated in De'Marquise Elkins trial

Brunswick 18-year-old, his mother on trial this week in Cobb County

Published On: Aug 20 2013 10:00:44 AM EDT Updated On: Aug 20 2013 02:49:13 PM EDT



MARIETTA, Ga. - Superior Court Judge Stephen Kelley has denied a defense motion to move two African-American alternate jurors to the panel of 12 that will hear the case of a Brunswick teenager charged with fatally shooting a 13-month-old boy in the face.

The five women and seven men, all white, were seated Tuesday afternoon in a Cobb County Courthouse as opening statements began in the murder trial of 18-year-old De'Marquise Elkins. His mother, Karimah Elkins, is also on trial on related charges.

Elkins is accused of killing Antonio Santiago on March 21 during an broad daylight attempted robbery of the child’s mother as she was pushing the toddler in a stroller not far from her home.

Read more:

http://www.news4jax.com/news/georgia-news/most-potential-jurors-heard-about-babys-murder/-/475792/21540434/-/l4bjhjz/-/index.html

Opening statements begin in Brunswick baby shooting

Posted: 1:48 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013

By Marcus K. Garner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The jury selected for the trial of a black Brunswick teen accused of shooting a baby in the face has no black people, defense attorneys complained Tuesday.

In the second day of De’Marquise Elkins’ trial, Glynn County Public Defender Kevin Gough continued his argument from Monday that the jury didn’t comprise his client’s peers.

After a jury of 12 and two alternates was chosen Tuesday morning, Gough accused prosecutors of saving three choices for striking candidates to keep the black candidates off the jury.

“This is not a random jury,” Gough said. “I can’t recall a case of this magnitude when the state elected to forego six of their nine strikes with the only apparent purpose for doing so was to keep the African American jurors off this jury.”

~Snipped~

Monday’s jury selection went from hum-drum routine to courtroom drama when Gough demanded the Cobb jury pool be reset because of the absence of any black men or young people

Read more:

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/opening-statements-begin-in-brunswick-baby-shooti/nZTSY/

911 calls released of baby killing in Brunswick



http://www.ajc.com/videos/news/911-calls-released-of-baby-killing-in-brunswick/vt6JJ/

Ann - Tx wrote:Ales, thank you for starting this thread. Very tragic and sad that an innocent, defenseless child died in such a horrific manner.

Hi Ann!

Yes, it is a very tragic and sad story, to say the least.

You are welcome!

Trial starts for Ga. man accused of shooting baby

Updated: 4:56 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013 | Posted: 4:55 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013

By RAY HENRY
The Associated Press

MARIETTA, Ga. — A young man fatally shot a 13-month-old baby in a stroller in coastal Georgia when the child's mother did not immediately hand over her purse, a prosecutor said on the first day of the man's murder trial Tuesday, while a defense attorney suggested to a jury that the child's parents were somehow involved in the slaying.

De'Marquise Elkins is charged with murder and other offenses in the March 21 killing of the toddler, Antonio Santiago.

"The young man took the gun and aimed it at Antonio's head and shot him right between the eyes," Brunswick District Attorney Jackie Johnson told jurors.

If convicted, Elkins will not face the death penalty because he was 17 at the time of the killing, too young under Georgia law to be executed.

~Snipped~

The prosecutor said Elkins and an accomplice, 15-year-old Dominique Lang, stopped the mother and child as they returned home from the post office. Johnson said that Elkins pointed a small .22-caliber revolver at West and demanded her money. West did not immediately hand over her purse and the child was shot.

Bystanders and rescue workers were unable to revive the child, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lang is also charged as an adult with murder but will be tried separately. Authorities said Lang identified Elkins as the shooter and is expected to testify at the ongoing trial.

Read more:

http://www.ajc.com/news/ap/georgia/trial-starts-for-ga-man-accused-of-shooting-baby/nZTX4/

"Defense attorney Jonathan Lockwood suggested that Antonio's parents were somehow involved in his death, though he did not provide a precise motive or further explain that theory. He said that no one in the neighborhood saw or heard anyone fleeing the scene of the shooting.

He also questioned whether police focused their investigation too soon on the wrong suspects. He said that West tried to collect on a life insurance policy shortly after her son's death.

"The police were under a great deal of pressure to see that the matter was resolved as vacation season was not far away," Lockwood said.

Lockwood said the child's parents both had gunshot residue on their hands. A report filed earlier by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that gunshot residue can wind up on shooting victims. The child's father, Louis Santiago, said during an initial court hearing that he touched the bullet wound on West's leg before his hands were swabbed."

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/trial-starts-ga-man-accused-shooting-baby

Witnesses give grisly details of toddler's slaying in first day of De'Marquise Elkins trial

A GBI medical examiner said Antonio Santiago was shot from 2 to 6 inches away and died instantaneously.

Posted: August 20, 2013 - 5:44pm | Updated: August 21, 2013 - 6:55am

By Walter C. Jones

MARIETTA, GA. - Lawyers made opening statements Tuesday afternoon in the trial of a man accused of shooting a baby to death in his stroller with attorneys predicting the case would last all week and possibly part of next week.

~Snipped~

Several of the women jurors were visibly shaken when prosecutors began showing crime scene and autopsy photos of Antonio bundled in a jacket, mittens and knit hat lying lifeless on a stretcher with a bullet wound between his eyebrows.

Elkins’ attorney Kevin Gough was unsuccessful in getting Glynn County Superior Court Judge Stephen Kelley to disallow the photos.

Jurors stopped taking notes when the photos appeared on a giant computer screen across the courtroom. One dabbed her eyes.

~Snipped~

The defense argues that West and the child’s father, Louis Santiago, conspired to murder the child for a life insurance payout.

However, the first Brunswick police officer on the scene, detective Angela Smith, said West was crying hysterically, “Save my baby. Don’t let him die.”

Read more:

http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2013-08-20/story/witnesses-give-grisly-details-toddlers-slaying-first-day-demarquise

De'Marquise Elkins hid a gun under sofa morning 13-month-old was fatally shot, witnesses say

Friend of family testified he drove Elkins' mother and sister to a fishing hole where gun was later found

Posted: August 26, 2013 - 1:51pm | Updated: August 26, 2013 - 2:10pm


AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bob Andres
Defendant De'Marquise Elkins enters court, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013 in in Marietta, Ga. Dominique Lang, the 15-year-old co-defendant of De'Marquise Elkins, a man accused of fatally shooting a baby in a stroller during a robbery attempt in coastal Georgia pointed at the 18-year-old in court and said he was the shooter.

By Walter C. Jones

MARIETTA, GA. | A Brunswick teen accused of killing a 13-month-old hid a pistol that his mother later took to a pond where police found it, prosecution witnesses testified Monday.

That testimony came at the onset of the second week of the trial of De’Marquise Elkins, 18, and his mother Karimah Elkins. Because of pretrial news coverage in and around Brunswick, De’Marquise Elkins is being tried in Marietta for murder, aggravated assault, attempted robbery and other charges. His mother is on trial with him on charges of lying to police and disposing of the weapon.

Her daughter Sabrina Elkins is also charged with evidence tampering but will be tried separately.

Read more:

http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2013-08-26/story/demarquise-elkins-hid-gun-under-sofa-morning-13-month-old-was-fatally#ixzz2dE7FOf53

Witness: Man accused of killing Ga. baby hid gun

By KATE BRUMBACK, Associated Press 12:37 p.m.Aug. 26, 2013

MARIETTA, Ga. — A man accused of fatally shooting a baby in coastal Georgia hid a gun at a relative's apartment the day after the slaying, and his mother and sister came to get it, a woman who lives in the home said Monday.

Danielle Williams testified that De'Marquise Elkins came to her home March 22, the day after 13-month-old Antonio Santiago was shot to death in his stroller, and asked if he could hide a gun under a loveseat. Later that day, Elkins' mother and sister came by the apartment and left with the gun, Williams said.

Williams' father-in-law, Ronald Elkins, who said he's a third cousin of De'Marquise Elkins, testified he was sleeping that morning and was awakened by noise. He went downstairs and found Karimah and Sabrina Elkins - De'Marquise Elkins' mother and sister, respectively - lifting the loveseat and pulling out a gun.

Read more:

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/aug/26/witness-man-accused-of-killing-ga-baby-hid-gun/

Teen guilty of murdering Georgia baby in stroller (Video)

AP 8:32 p.m. EDT August 30, 2013

Jurors found De'Marquise Elkins guilty in the murder of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago.

MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) — An 18-year-old man was convicted of murder in the shooting of a baby who was riding in a stroller alongside his mom in a town in coastal Georgia.

Jurors deliberated about two hours before finding De'Marquise Elkins guilty in the March 21 killing of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago in Brunswick. The man's mother, Karimah Elkins, was on trial alongside him and was found guilty of tampering with evidence but acquitted of lying to police.

De'Marquise Elkins' attorney asked for bond for his client while they appealed, which a judge denied.

Read more:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/30/georgia-baby-in-stroller/2749157/

How De’Marquise Elkins was convicted

Posted: 6:13 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, 2013



A member of the defense team put her hand on De'Marquise Elkins' shoulder as he was found guilty of all charges at the Brunswick baby murder trial in Cobb Superior Court in Marietta on Friday, August 30, 2013.

By Christian Boone
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

De’Marquise Elkins was found guilty on all 11 counts against him, including malice murder and felony murder, in the shooting of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago. His mother, Karimah Elkins, was found guilty of tampering with evidence, but acquitted of lying to police.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/how-demarquise-elkins-was-convicted/nZhkf/

Antonio Santiago Murder Update: De'Marquise Elkins, Ga. teen convicted of killing baby in stroller, sentenced to life in prison
ByIris CarrerasCBS NewsSeptember 13, 2013, 10:54 AM

(CBS/AP) BRUNSWICK, Ga. - A Georgia teen convicted of fatally shooting a baby in a stroller was sentenced to life in prison Thursday with no possibility of parole after the grieving mother asked a judge to punish the gunman for taking "the love of my life."

Read more:  http://www.cbsnews.com/news/antonio-santiago-murder-update-demarquise-elkins-ga-teen-convicted-of-killing-baby-in-stroller-sentenced-to-life-in-prison/