Eugene DeMorris Evans
Jin-Joo Byrne
Posted on 09/10/2002 9:43:41 PM PDT by jordan8
Bond refused for oft-jailed Charlottean in killing, robbery of church worker from Seattle
Staff Writers
Eugene DeMorris Evans, who has been in and out of jail the past year, has confessed to robbing, sexually assaulting and killing an 18-year-old Seattle church worker who was soliciting donations in Charlotte, a homicide detective said Monday.
The 21-year-old murder suspect, who was free on probation at the time of Jin-Joo Byrne's slaying, won't be getting out of the Mecklenburg County jail again any time soon.
After listening to details about last month's murder, Mecklenburg District Judge Phil Howerton refused to set bond. Evans is charged with murder, kidnapping and robbery in connection with Byrne's killing.
Byrne disappeared Aug. 28 from a west Charlotte apartment complex as she was going door-to-door soliciting money for the Unification Church. She and other church members were offering jewelry to anyone who would donate at least $12 to the Washington, D.C.-based religious group.
Byrne's body was discovered the following day in a vacant unit at the Roseland Apartments. She'd been strangled.
During Monday's hearing, homicide Detective David Phillips said Evans told investigators he was high on crack cocaine and had intended to rob Byrne.
Phillips said witnesses have told police Evans was the last person seen with her. Witnesses saw Evans and Byrne heading toward a wooded area, he said.
Evans said he told Byrne, while the two were later inside a vacant apartment, to look out the window and keep an eye on his bicycle, the detective said.
Evans then walked up behind Byrne, put his arm around her neck and choked her until she was unconscious, Phillips said. Evans said he then sexually assaulted her, the detective said.
Outside the courtroom following the hearing, Phillips would not tell reporters how Byrne had been sexually assaulted. He said police are awaiting lab reports to determine the nature of the assault.
Phillips said Evans told police where they could find some of the jewelry stolen from Byrne. The detective said police recovered some of the jewelry at that location.
Phillips said a neighbor also had some of the stolen jewelry. The resident said she got the jewelry from Evans, the detective said.
During the hearing, Mecklenburg Assistant District Attorney Glenn Cole recounted Evans' troubles with the law.
The prosecutor told the judge that Evans was on probation for property crimes at the time of Byrne's slaying. Evans has been jailed 11 times since October and had been released from jail on bond the day before Byrne's disappearance, according to jail records.
Mecklenburg Chief Assistant Public Defender Marc Towler told the judge that Evans is a life-long Charlotte resident and lives with his grandmother. The defense lawyer then asked the judge to set a reasonable bond.
Howerton refused. "I'm going to decline to set a bond at this time," the judge said.
Byrne's parents, who also are members of the Unification Church, traveled to Charlotte and met Evans' family over the weekend. They don't want the man accused of killing their daughter to be locked up the rest of his life.
Judy Williams, co-founder of Mothers of Murdered Offspring, said she brought Martin and Isabella Byrne to meet Evans' mother, grandmother and aunt Saturday. The two families spent more than an hour together, she said.
"Martin and Isabella said they wanted to stand by (Evans') family and didn't want him to spend the rest of his life in jail. They thought he could be a productive person and that this could change his life," Williams recalled. "They want him to get another chance."
Evans' family told the grieving parents that Eugene Evans is a high school graduate who became addicted to drugs and then landed in trouble. They introduced Byrne's parents to one of Evans' brothers and showed them pictures of the family.
Williams said the two families prayed together and then let balloons go in memory of Byrne. She said they exchanged telephone numbers and pledged to stay in touch.
"It was really awesome," said Williams, adding that this was a first for her organization. "I saw Eugene Evans' mother put her arms around Jin-Joo's mom. His grandmother and her daddy were walking hand in hand."
She said they exchanged telephone numbers and pledged to stay in touch.
R-a-a-alph
"Martin and Isabella said they wanted to stand by (Evans') family and didn't want him to spend the rest of his life in jail. They thought he could be a productive person and that this could change his life," Williams recalled. "They want him to get another chance."
Give him another chance ... on the other side of Jordan.
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