Arrests Made In Murder Of Escalante

According to Sheriff Todd Godwin, a joint investigation conducted by the Accomack County Sheriffs Office, Eastern Shore Drug Task Force, and the Accomack County Juvenile Services has led to an arrest in the July 21st homicide of Belarmino Escalante along with multiple other crimes to include assaults and brandishing of firearms that occurred on July 24th in the parking lots of Wattsville Royal Farms, Nelsonia Royal Farms, and Melfa Post Office.


Devonte LeShawn Davis, age 18 of Melfa, was charged on August 22nd in connection with the homicide of Belarmino Escalante with First Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Attempted Robbery, Use of Firearm in Commission of Attempted Robbery, and Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon. Davis was also arrested on August 15th on a charge of Malicious Wounding by a Mob in connection with the July 24th assault of a man at the Royal Farms in Wattsville. Davis is being held at the Eastern Shore Regional Jail with bond denied.


Kevonte J. Bell, age 18 of Onancock, was arrested on August 15th in connection with the July 24th assault of a man at Wattsville Royal Farms and the brandishing of a firearm at this location as well as the Melfa Post Office. Bell is charged with Malicious Wounding by Mob, Two Counts of Brandishing Firearm, and Two Counts of Possession Firearm by Convicted Felon. He is incarcerated in the Accomack County Jail with bond denied.


Tyvon Smith, age 18 of Parksley, was arrested on August 15th in connection with the July 24th assault of a man at Wattsville Royal Farms, assault of a man at Melfa Post Office, and the brandishing of a firearm at all three crime locations. Smith is charged with Malicious Wounding by Mob, Malicious Wounding, Four Counts of Brandishing Firearm, and Four Counts of Possession Firearm by Convicted Felon. He is incarcerated in the Accomack County Jail with bond denied.


Sheriff Godwin states that the investigation is continuing and further arrests are pending.

Source;  shoredailynews.com

Charges Dropped In Cockfighting Case

ACCOMAC — Charges have been dropped against an Accomack County man who police alleged was involved in a cockfighting ring raided in April.

An Accomack General District Court judge said there wasn’t enough evidence to proceed with felony charges against Belarimino Bedoya Alvarez, 45, of Accomac. A county prosecutor then said he would discontinue the case.

Alvarez was charged with felony cockfighting after deputies responded to a complaint about chickens being fought in a wooded area behind the Perdue Farms Inc. processing plant.

Accomack Deputy John Spivey testified that he found roosters tied to trees and other signs of the illegal activity.

“I saw chicken feathers all over the ground and a blood-like substance in the dirt,” he said.

He said also that Alvarez was very cooperative and stated that he knew nothing about what was going on in the woods near his auto-repair business.

He said that none of the items and chickens recovered belonged to him and told the deputy to take them away.

As Spivey spoke with Alvarez, he said he saw three Hispanic men running out of the woods.

Along with the chickens, the officer found cages, knives that can be attached to the fighting chickens to enhance the injuries they can inflict, scales and a cockpit used for containing fighting roosters.

Defense attorney Carl Bundick said his client knew nothing of the illegal activity and asked that the charges be dismissed.

“There is no evidence that Mr. Alvarez participated or encouraged it,” he said.

“The only path to the area was through an area that the defendant identified as his property,” said Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew Brenner.

“It would be virtually impossible for him to not know what was going on there. There is an obvious connection there.”

“A misdemeanor has been shown, but not a felony,” said Judge Gordon Vincent.

”The Commonwealth has shown that the defendant authorized it. To elevate it to the level of a felony, the Commonwealth has to have probable cause that the knives were used. There is no evidence that a knife was used in the fighting of the cocks.”

The fighting cocks that were seized by the police on April 11 were euthanized after being held at the animal control facility for 10 days.

www.easternshorenews.com