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Thread: Justin Fernando Merritt Sentenced to LWOP in 2020 NC Slaying of William “Andy” Banks

  1. #1
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    Justin Fernando Merritt Sentenced to LWOP in 2020 NC Slaying of William “Andy” Banks


    William "Andy" Banks





    Va. man charged with murder days after arrest for stealing NC man’s car


    By ABC 11 News

    RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) — Raleigh police announced Thursday afternoon that they believe the body of William “Andy” Banks, a 39-year-old man who went missing over the weekend, has been found in Virginia.

    And later on Thursday, court records showed Justin Fernando Merritt, who was arrested earlier in the week for allegedly stealing Banks’ car, was charged with murder.

    The body was found with assistance from the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, police said. It will be sent to the coroner in Roanoke, Virginia, for autopsy and positive identification.

    Banks has not been seen or heard from since Saturday when he told friends he was going to the Cameron Village area to meet a man who was interested in buying his SUV.

    “Andy would have gladly handed them the keys to that car if it meant he got to live,” friend Cliff Cash told ABC11 on Thursday upon hearing the news. ” He would have done everything he could to talk his way out of it.”

    Banks’ 2011 Range Rover, which he was trying to sell, was found Monday afternoon in Danville, Virginia. On Tuesday, Merritt, 34, was arrested and charged with stealing Banks’ vehicle.

    On Thursday, updated records showed that Merritt was also charged with murder.

    Merritt was extradited to Raleigh on Wednesday morning. Arrest warrants out of Wake County released Monday said Merritt used a gun to threaten Banks and steal his SUV.

    A search warrant released by the Danville Police Department shows the case has been considered a homicide investigation since Monday.

    It states that Banks' phone was found on the side of a road in North Carolina after he was reported to have met with Merritt.

    The warrant shows police searched Merritt's home and found a handgun, three phones, boxes of ammunition and two spent shell casings. The stolen SUV was also found under a tarp.

    Merritt appeared before a judge Wednesday afternoon. He is being held on a $2 million secured bond.

    In court on Wednesday, Merritt heard the other charges he's facing: Larceny of a motor vehicle, which carries up to 39 months. Robbery with a dangerous weapon, which carries up to 204 months. He was also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries up to 47 months.

    "As a decent human being the right thing to do would be for him to help them," Cash said. "But I don't know if he's a person who's particularly worried about doing the right thing."

    People who want to send their condolences to the Banks family can do so at the following address:
    The Banks Family
    C/O First United Methodist Church
    P O Box 218
    Gastonia, NC 28053

    https://abc11.com/va-man-charged-with-murder-days-after-arrest-for-stealing-raleigh-mans-car/6430487/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Edited:

    Body found in Virginia field positively ID’d as missing Raleigh man, police say

    WNCN News

    RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The body found Thursday in a field in Virginia has been positively identified as a Raleigh man who went missing after trying to sell a car to a buyer from Craigslist, Raleigh police announced Saturday morning.

    William “Andy” Banks, 39, was last seen the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 12, after his family said he was meeting someone in the K&W Cafeteria parking lot at Cameron Village about selling his 2011 Silver Range Rover Sport.

    Banks’ Range Rover was located in Danville on Monday.

    Justin Fernando Merritt, of Danville, Virginia was arrested Monday in relation to the disappearance of William “Andy” Banks. Merritt was charged with robbery, larceny of motor vehicle, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with the stolen vehicle.

    Merritt wasn’t served with those warrants until he was brought to Raleigh. The 34-year-old waived extradition early Tuesday.

    Public records show Merritt once lived on Dry Fork Road – which is around a mile from Beechnut Road. Beechnut Road is around 12 miles northwest of Danville.

    In court Wednesday, Wake County Judge Ned Mangum raised Merritt’s bond from $265,000 to $2 million. Wake County Detention Center records show Merritt is now being held without bond on the murder charge.

    Wake County Assistant District Attorney Patrick LaTour said in court that Merritt came from Virginia “under the guise” of buying Banks’ SUV.

    “All of these charges relate to a situation here in Raleigh which the victim in this case is still unaccounted for. Law enforcement suspect further of these charges, foul play involved. I would ask you substantially the defendant’s bond increase bond,” said LaTour.

    LaTour said Merritt has no ties to the Raleigh area, and physical evidence linked Merritt to the Range Rover.

    “They spoke to several witnesses that corroborated at least that, and based on physical evidence that they have found within the car that they believe there to have been a dangerous weapon used in the taking of that automobile,” LaTour said.

    There is zero evidence of criminal conduct by Banks, LaTour said.

    Raleigh police said Banks made all the proper decisions when selling his vehicle to Merritt.

    “Mr. Banks did everything right,” said homicide Capt. Andy Murr. “He arranged to meet in a public place during daylight hours. The suspect in this case had ulterior motives that led to the tragic death of Mr. Banks.”

    Merritt appeared in a Wake County courtroom Friday afternoon where he was told if convicted he could face the death penalty by lethal injection or life in prison without parole.

    Merritt will be appointed a capital offender attorney.

    He remains at the Wake County Detention Center without bond.

    https://myfox8.com/news/body-found-i...an-police-say/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Trial set to begin Tuesday for September 2020 murder of Raleigh man

    By Michael Perchick
    WTVD News

    RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The trial is set to begin Tuesday in the murder of Andy Banks, a Raleigh man who went missing after meeting with a man he connected with online as he tried to sell his SUV.

    Twelve jurors and two alternates were selected during a hearing Monday, with the prosecution and defense attorneys asking questions about jurors' prior knowledge of the case, history with guns, and use of online platforms, amongst other topics.

    On Sept. 12, 2020, police say Banks met with Justin Fernando Merritt at The Village parking lot. Later that day, a friend called 911 after becoming worried they had not heard from Banks for several hours.

    Two days later, the SUV was found in Danville, Virginia, but there were no signs of Banks. Police in Virginia arrested and charged Merritt on Sept. 15 for allegedly stealing Banks' car; Merritt was extradited back to Raleigh the following day.

    On Sept. 16, Banks' body was found in Virginia.

    Merritt is facing four charges connected to the case: murder, larceny of a motor vehicle, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

    https://abc11.com/andy-banks-murder-...ling/12504258/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Trial starts for man accused of killing Raleigh man during Craigslist sale in 2020

    By Judith Retana
    WNCN News

    RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Two years ago, William “Andy” Banks went missing after meeting someone from Craigslist to sell a vehicle in Raleigh. Banks body would later be found in Virginia.

    On Tuesday, the trial of his suspected murderer, Justin Fernando Merritt, of Danville, Va., began.

    In 2020, Banks’ family said he was meeting someone in the K&W Cafeteria parking lot at Cameron Village about selling his 2011 Silver Range Rover Sport, according to police. Banks’ Range Rover was later found in Danville on Sept. 14 of that year. Merritt was arrested that day in relation to the disappearance of Banks.

    On Sept. 17, 2020, the Chatham Star Tribune reported Banks’ remains were found in tall grass in Chatham, a town north of Danville on U.S. 29.

    Meritt was charged with murder, robbery, larceny of a motor vehicle, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    On Tuesday, prosecutors began to paint a picture of what they believe happened to Banks on Sept. 12, 2020.

    Among those who took the stand was Banks’ friend, Carter Whitley, who testified he knew Banks was on his way to meet someone about selling his Range Rover. He began to feel uneasy when he couldn’t get a hold of Banks later that day.

    “It was unusual for us to not have heard if he had or hadn’t sold the vehicle at this point or in general heard from him at all,” Whitley said.

    Whitley testified he took it upon himself to retrace Banks’ possible last steps. He was eventually able to track Bank’s cell phone to the side of Interstate 40 in Cary.

    “It was really unusual for it to have been discarded from his presence at all,” said Whitley.

    In another crucial step, Whitley gained access to Bank’s Google account. Through it, he found messages exchanged with the potential buyer — Merritt.

    Merritt’s brother-in-law Robert Wilkins testified on the stand Tuesday that Merritt wanted someone to go with him to see the Range Rover.

    “He asked me the night before, ‘Do you want to go to Raleigh with me to check out this Range Rover what-not?'” Wilkins said.

    Merritt arranged for the them to travel to Raleigh in his mother’s vehicle. Wilkins testified he brought his 11-year-old daughter along for the ride.

    “[Banks] finally showed up. He parked about four parking spots down, brother-in-law got out. He was going to test drive,” Wilkins said.

    He testified he and his daughter stayed behind as Merritt went for the half-hour test drive. Wilkins said Merritt returned and signaled he was ready to go. Wilkins testified he did not see another person in the vehicle with Merritt when he returned in the Range Rover.

    That test drive was the last time anyone claims seeing Banks.

    Raleigh police officers on the stand testified that the messages between Banks and the defendant led them to the Merritt’s hometown of Danville. With the help of local law enforcement agencies, they found Banks’ Range Rover behind an abandoned church with a cover over it.

    Photos showed in court revealed red-colored spots inside the Range Rover. One officer on the stand noted he smelled a strong scent of bleach in the vehicle.

    A search warrant was executed on Merritt’s home where officers found guns and ammunition. As a convicted felon, Merritt was not allowed to be in possession of a firearm.

    The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning.

    https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-new...st-sale-in-20/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Andy Banks shot up to 9 times during Craigslist meetup, medical examiner says

    By Judith Retana
    WNCN News

    RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Both sides have rested in the trial of Justin Merritt — the man charged in the shooting death of Andy Banks.

    Over the course of three days, prosecutors argued Banks was scheduled to meet with Merritt, who he’d connected with on Craigslist, to sell Merritt his 2011 Range Rover. At some point during a test drive of the vehicle on Sept. 12, 2020, prosecutors said Merritt shot Banks before taking the vehicle and Banks’ body to his home state of Virginia.

    For the first time — the jury was able to see, in person, the jacket Banks was wearing when he went missing. It was stained with blood and had several holes created by bullets.

    “There are darkened spots, and black speckling around these holes. That, in my experience, indicated that the gunshots were in close contact, within a few feet,” said Terry Jackson the lead investigator in the case with Raleigh Police Department.
    <aside>
    </aside>Merritt was initially charged with robbery, larceny of a motor vehicle and possession of a firearm by a felon. When Banks remains were found, Jackson charged Merritt with murder.

    Western Virginia assistant chief medical examiner Dr. Amy Tharp examined Banks remains. While police believed the murder likely happened in North Carolina, the remains were found in Virginia which was Tharp’s jurisdiction.

    Tharp said Banks was shot a minimum of five times but could have been shot up to nine times. Tharp explained Banks body was in an advanced stage of decomposition.

    “It was clear he’d been dead for a while,” Tharpe said.
    <aside>
    </aside>The medical examiner said the advanced stage made it difficult to determine whether the injuries were entrance or exit wounds. It’s why she couldn’t be certain of whether some of the wounds found on and in Banks’s body were from the same bullet or different bullets.

    Tharp concluded two of the bullets hit the back of Banks’ head and neck. She testified either one of those could have been lethal.

    “Our controlling of our breathing is our diaphragm and you have to have activity above a certain level to get that and an injury in that area is going to shut off his ability to breath,” she said.

    Before both sides rested, Merritt was given the option to testify in his own trial. He opted not to and his attorney did not bring forward any of their own witnesses either.

    Merritt’s attorney did ask the judge to dismiss the case saying no one in the courtroom identified her client as Merritt. The judge ruled against the request stating he was identified in police interview video shown during the trial.

    https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-new...examiner-says/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Jury convicts man of murder in death of former Gastonia resident

    By Kevin Ellis
    The Gaston Gazette

    A Wake County jury convicted Justin Fernando Merritt, 26, of first-degree murder in the death of former Gastonia resident Andy Banks.

    Merritt's trial began Tuesday and the jury returned its verdict Friday. A judge sentenced Merritt to life in prison without parole.

    The 39-year-old Banks was attempting to sell his 2011 silver Range Rover in Raleigh when friends and family members last heard from him around in September 2020.

    Police would find the Range Rover in Danville, Virginia, and then soon charge Merritt with first-degree murder.

    Banks grew up in Gastonia and graduated from Ashbrook High School. He attended college at N.C. State and remained in Raleigh. His grandfather, the late Dan Gunter, was mayor of Gastonia in the 1960s.

    "Andy texted me and said, 'Hey I'm in Oak Island. Just want to see if you're around,'" Cash said.

    But Cash was in Asheville, living in quarantine during the early months of the pandemic.

    Instead of spending time together, something the distance made impossible, he asked Banks to do him a favor. Cash's mother was 75 at the time and deeply lonely, isolated from her friends to protect her from COVID-19.

    https://www.gastongazette.com/story/...t/69698184007/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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