William Wright
A July 23 trial date is set for one of two teens charged in the deaths of two victims whose bodies were dumped in a cemetery almost two years ago.
William Howard Wright, who was 18 at the time of his arrest, is set for trial in the courtroom of Judge Don Poole.
Judge Poole said a motion date for June 24.
Wright and a 17-year-old juvenile were charged with the murders of Thomas Holder and 17-year-old Rayshann Underwood that occurred on June 20, 2017, at 2116 Shepherd Road.
A number of family members of the victims were in the courtroom.
Wright is represented by attorney Mike Acuff.
Prosecutors are Cameron Williams and Lee Ortwein.
Police said they were able to locate a cell phone that Underwood was using just prior to his death.
Police were told that Holder had recently come into a large sum of money and had been flashing it around on Facebook. When his body was found, his pockets were turned inside out and he had no money on him.
At 12:43 a.m. on June 21, Holder and Underwood were shown on video at East Lake Courts getting into passenger seats of a silver Chrysler PT Cruiser being driven by Wright. Another young black male, known to police, also got in the vehicle.
The vehicle left East Lake Courts at 12:45 a.m., according to the video.
The Underwood cell phone can be tracked at East Lake Courts, then in the vicinity of the Woodlawn Apartments in East Chattanooga.
From video at the Woodlawn Apartments, Holder can be seen exiting the silver Chrysler PT Cruiser at 12:55 p.m. and re-entering the car three minutes later. The vehicle then left the Woodlawn Apartments and went east on Windsor Street.
Police said Underwood's phone can be traced to the east side of Missionary Ridge about 1 a.m., then to the cemetery where the bodies were found.
A witness reported a shot coming from the cemetery at 1:28 a.m.
The PT Cruiser was back at East Lake Courts at 1:40 a.m., according to the video.
Wright and the juvenile suspect were already in custody on unrelated charges when warrants were served earlier Thursday. Wright is seen getting out of the driver's side.
Police said, "Neither victim exits the vehicle."
Wright was arrested on June 22, 2017, on two counts of theft of property, possessing a firearm with intent to go armed,drugs for resale and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Former City Councilman Manny Rico discovered the bodies.
Police said Wright is a validated member of the Grape Street Crips.
When police were arresting him on June 22, they found an assault rifle that had been stolen out of Walker County in his closet. He was charged with being a felon in possession of a gun.
According to the autopsy reports, Underwood was shot four times, including once in the face, twice in the back, and once in the arm. Holder was shot once in the head.
Holder had been released from the Silverdale Workhouse just two days prior to his death.