A 19-year-old Wake Village man accused of killing one uncle and stealing from another was in court Monday for a hearing in Bowie County.
Andrew Deiontrey Hamilton stood with Bowie County Public Defender Shoaib Daredia before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell on charges of capital murder and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Andrew Hamilton is accused of fatally shooting Winfred Hamilton, 61, the evening of Sept. 14 in a house at 402 Village Lane where Andrew Hamilton lived with his uncles, Winfred Hamilton and Roland Hamilton, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Roland Hamilton called police after finding Winfred Hamilton’s body on the living room floor. Winfred Hamilton had been shot once in the head.
Roland Hamilton told investigators Winfred Hamilton and Andrew Hamilton were home when he left the house after 6 p.m. Sept. 14 but that Andrew Hamilton was gone when he returned home around 11 p.m. and found his brother dead. Roland Hamilton told investigators that a safe in his bedroom had been broken into and that items including handguns, jewelry and old coins were missing, along with ammunition. Also missing was a 1998 Oldsmobile Delta 88 which is owned by Roland Hamilton and frequently driven by Winfred Hamilton.
Andrew Hamilton, whom the affidavit states also uses the name Riko Gambino, was arrested at approximately 4:40 a.m. Sept. 15 by members of the Texarkana, Texas, Police Department. Items which had been stolen from Roland Hamilton’s bedroom including a .357 pistol, a holster, jewelry and coins were allegedly found in the Oldsmobile at the time of Andrew Hamilton’s arrest.
Police later recovered a Cobra .380 pistol believed to have been stolen from Roland Hamilton’s bedroom which Andrew Hamilton had allegedly sold to another person. According to the affidavit, investigators believe the .380 pistol was used to kill Winfred Hamilton.
At the hearing Monday, Daredia said that the state has offered to allow Andrew Hamilton to plead guilty to first-degree murder if he waives having the case presented to a grand jury for indictment. Daredia said Andrew Hamilton has rejected the state’s offer. First-degree murder is punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison with parole possible. If indicted for capital murder, Andrew Hamilton faces life without the possibility of parole or death by lethal injection.
The case could be presented to a grand jury later this month. Tidwell scheduled Andrew Hamilton to return to court in January.
