Richmond man pleads guilty to second-degree murder committed in Charles City

Antwan Kareem Jackson

A Richmond man has entered a guilty plea to the murder of a Charles City man during Friday morning proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court.

Antwan Kareem Jackson, 39, of the 1800 block of Keswick Avenue, entered guilty pleas to one count each of second-degree murder, the use of a firearm in commission of a felony (second offense), and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon as part of a plea agreement reached. Jackson had previously asked for a jury trial that was scheduled to take place next week (Sept. 23-24).

In a summary of evidence by assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Tyler Klink, on Nov. 9, 2019, Jackson and James Seldon were attending a social gathering on Little Elam Road. During the get-together, Jackson and Seldon had a tense discussion, resulting in Jackson calling Wanda Mosley to pick him up. Jackson got into Mosley’s vehicle as it traveled up the driveway, stopping approximately 10 yards from Seldon’s work vehicle. Seldon exited the residence to his vehicle and saw Mosley and Jackson conversing. Upon approaching, Mosley said that Seldon noticed Jackson removing items from the victim’s work vehicle and placing them in the trunk of Mosley’s car. Jackson and Seldon began to bicker before Mosley heard a gunshot.

Mosely ran behind her vehicle and saw Jackson chasing Seldon around the work truck. She said that Jackson had a firearm in his hand and pointed it at Seldon before she heard a second gunshot. Mosely saw Seldon and Jackson running behind an outbuilding, noting that Seldon did not have a firearm in his hand. Mosely ran to the main house and banged on the door to get in, and while she was knocking, heard additional gunshots. Jackson then ran back to Mosley’s car and instructed her to get in.

During the drive back to Mosley’s home in Richmond, Jackson told her that Seldon had (explicit) up. When she tried to inquire from Jackson what he meant, the defendant said that Seldon “was a (explicit) up.” Upon arriving back at Mosley’s residence, Jackson packed a suitcase and got into his vehicle, a Chrysler 300 Sedan that he broke into with a clothes hanger, and used a spare pair of keys located under the floormat to leave the residence.

Meanwhile in Charles City, Virginia State Police and Charles City Sheriff’s Office had arrived at the crime scene around 4:19 a.m. An investigator found Seldon’s body approximately 100 feet behind the outbuilding. The investigator found no signs of life in Seldon and canvassed the area for evidence. The investigator found a bullet fragment on the left shoulder of Seldon, four Winchester Luger 9mm bullet casings within five feet of Seldon, and a set of keys belonging to a Chrysler 300, the same vehicle that Jackson owned.

During the investigation, it was revealed that later that morning that Edward Cook and Seldon were supposed to meet for breakfast. When Cook called Seldon to find out where he was, he received no answer. Cook had known that Seldon and Jackson were going out together the night before, leading him to call Jackson. When Cook asked the defendant if he knew where Seldon was, he denied having knowledge of the victim’s whereabouts. Jackson told Cook that he was in Richmond with a girl. Later on, Cook found out that Seldon had died and called Jackson two more times to ask about it, with the defendant denying any knowledge of the situation both times.

An autopsy was conducted by Dr. Jeffery Gofton on Seldon’s body a few days later, revealing nine unique bullet entry points on Seldon. Three shots to the chest, two shots to the neck and face, and one shot each to the left knee and center of the back were discovered, with Gofton classifying the death as the result of multiple gunshot wounds.

With the evidence and information, Jackson was arrested on the murder charge. A background check of his criminal history discovered that he had a previous charge of malicious wounding and use of a firearm in a felony (first offense) in 2008 out of Henrico County.

A presentence report is being prepared as part of the plea agreement. The deal calls for Jackson not to receive more than the sentencing guidelines recommendation. Currently, those guidelines call for a low range of 15 years, 10 months to 26 years, six months. Formal sentencing for Jackson is scheduled for Dec. 17.

In an unrelated case, a Connecticut man will spend the next three-and-a-half years in jail after receiving formal sentencing stemming from sex crimes committed in 2012.

Keith Tyron Lauray, 55, of Hartford, entered no contest pleas to two counts of aggravated sexual battery with a minor less than 13 years old during his Feb. 19 trial. At that trial, while the defendant was hospitalized in Connecticut, he told officers that he committed crimes against the minor. Charles City Sheriff’s Office was able to locate the victim and their mother to question them about the incident. After an investigation collaborated the stories that Lauray had confessed to, he was taken into custody and arrested.

Lauray received a 15-year sentence with 11 years, six months suspended on the first count of aggravates sexual battery with a minor. All 15 years on the second conviction were suspended.