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Morgan
Morgan
Approximately two-and-a-half years after Antonio Wilson’s murder on Beaumont’s Bedford Drive, 35-year-old Beaumont resident Markeith Rashaad Morgan is expected to accept a plea deal to the lesser charge of robbery, a seconddegree felony.
Morgan was originally arrested in connection with Wilson’s murder on Jan. 27, 2022, following the incident that led to Wilson’s death on Aug. 6, 2020. Morgan turned down a plea deal attached to a 40-year sentence in August 2022, and is now scheduled for a plea hearing before Judge Raquel West on July 18, after being indicted on the robbery charge on June 14, and is expected to accept the 10-year sentence, according to Jefferson County Assistant Criminal District Attorney Luke Nichols.
According to the probable cause affidavit for Morgan’s arrest, Beaumont Police Department (BPD) officers responded to the 5900 block of Bedford Drive in reference to a victim of a shooting, and located victim Antonio Wilson unresponsive on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound to his body. Wilson was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
BPD Officer Phillip Smith stated in the probable cause affidavit that he received a sworn statement from a witness who spoke directly with Morgan, stating that Morgan confessed that he, along with three other subjects, conspired to rob the victim of money and suspected marijuana they believed the victim possessed.
The witness indicated to officers that Morgan drove the suspects to Bedford Drive where they attempted to rob Wilson, and Morgan told the witness that two subjects fired shots, with one striking the victim.
According to the witness statement, Morgan indicated that he, along with the other suspects, returned to Bedford Drive in an attempt to locate the money they believed the victim discarded as they initiated the robbery.
With regard to the other suspects, Nichols said, “We have names, but we don’t have enough evidence to charge anyone else at this time.
“Two of those three are the ones who shot and killed Antonio Wilson. There were two guns, and two shots, and one killed Wilson, but the investigation is still ongoing. It’s incredibly frustrating for the family to keep waiting and knowing that they are still out there. (It) is frustrating for everyone.”
Nichols said that Morgan agreed to drive the three other suspects to the crime scene with the understanding that they were going to be robbing Wilson, but Morgan allegedly never got out of the car.
“Someone in the community has information about this murder, and the family deserves their cooperation,” said Nichols.