Man Charged In North Chattanooga Murder Says "Wrong Number" Led To Drug Deal That Went Bad

  • Thursday, June 22, 2017

A man charged in a North Chattanooga murder said a "wrong number" led to his chance meeting with victim Charles "Chas" Holsey and a drug deal that led to the March 2, 2015, slaying.

Briston "B.J." Smith Jr. told investigators he thought he was dialing a friend named "Clack" who he said sells marijuana. By getting one digit wrong, he wound up texting with Holsey, who by chance was also in the marijuana business.

Detective Chris Blackwell said, "Unfortunately, this whole mess was because of a mistake."

Smith said they texted back and forth on the day of the slaying until Holsey told him he was in East Brainerd. He said he then knew he was not texting with another person nick-named "B.J." with blonded, spiky hair who the former Berry College student said he had bought drugs from in Rome, Ga.

Smith told investigators, "I don't want to spend the rest of my life in jail," but he is facing a life prison sentence if he is convicted of felony murder. He is also charged with attempted especially aggravated robbery.

Smith acknowledged that he and Adram "A.B." Young planned to rob Holsey, though his attorneys say he was pressed into making that admission.

Courtney Thompson, girlfriend of Holsey, testified Wednesday that, after Holsey refused to give up his marijuana without his requested payment, Smith told Young to "Shoot his a--."

It was testified that Young then fired three shots into the back of the driver's seat and a fourth into Holsey's black BMW after getting out of the vehicle and coming around to where Ms. Thompson was sitting.

Jayda Mayhue, who was with Smith, Young and her boyfriend, Robert Thompson, that night, said Smith was back at their white Ford Taurus when the shots rang out. She said Young then came running up.

She said she and the others were in shock that Young had fired the shots.

The witness said Young said it was the first time he had shot the gun. She said he "was acting nonchalant - like he didn't care." She said he called his girlfriend and, when they dropped him off at her place, invited them up. They declined.

She said Thompson was 17 and had his high school senior project presentation the next morning. 

Ms. Mayhue said they had been having trouble with the starter on the Taurus and kept it running during all their stops that night. She said one was at the Washington Hills Recreation Center. She said Smith called to say he was about to get ganged by a group led by "a guy whose girlfriend he had messed with."

She said Smith asked that they pick up Young on E. Third Street. She said Young had a back pack with him and she had been told that meant he had a gun on him. She said Young is a gang member.

She said Smith "wanted to buy weed from a guy" and they first went to Publix on North Market Street. The meeting was moved to a drug store because there were too many people at the Publix lot. However, they went to the CVS at Riverview and Holsey to Walgreens. Finally, they agreed to meet behind the Kangaroo on Dallas Road.

She told of seeing a girl in the car with Holsey. She was on her phone, and "you could see the glow from her face."

She said Smith and Young were gone from 5-10 minutes before she said Smith got back in their car and she then heard "Pow, pow, pow."

Prosecutor Cameron Williams asked Ms. Mayhue about earlier saying that both Smith and Young "came running back" together.

She said later that night she got a Facebook feed with the news about a vehicle wrecking on North Market and the driver dying. She said she read it aloud to Smith and Thompson.

She said she did not tell police what she knew and she at first said they were not involved when they were picked up a week later. She said Smith had briefly called after his arrest and told her to "tell the truth."

Detective Blackwell said they were led to Smith after pulling his fingerprints off the side of the door of the Holsey vehicle. He said he was located in Catoosa County, Ga., and interviewed at the jail there.

At one point in the interview, Smith, who was 18 at the time, said, "I've got to be a man" and went on to say, "We were there to rob him." He added, "We were going to rob the dude." He said he had no money with him and Young had about $100. The price Holsey set for the marijuana was $160.

Smith told police, "A.B. shot this man for no reason." 

He said the incident "just got out of control."

Smith said during the interview, "You're trying to get me for murder."

A detective responded, "I've already got you for murder."

Smith said he threw his cell phone into the Tennessee River.

Dr. Steven Cogswell, deputy medical examiner, said the victim was shot three times. One went into the left side of the back and a second into the groin area. A third went through his left hip before exiting and then striking his left leg.

He said the victim bled to death after one bullet hit his spleen and another struck two large blood veins.

 

 

 

 

 

Kayda Mayhue
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