Trial for Bill Thao's death begins

Monday the trial begins for a 21-year-old accused of killing 13-month-old Bill Thao.

Bill Thao was killed December 27, 2014 when bullets flew into his home. Police believe the suspect, Darmequaye Cohill, was a heroin dealer and that the shooting was drug related. The 13-month-old was not the target.

In opening statements defense attorneys said cell phone records would show Cohill wasn't at the murder scene, whereas prosecutors focused on the emotion of the murder scene. Thao was playing with toys when he was hit by bullets.

Kwesen Sanders took the stand. Sanders was the man police say was the real target of the shooting when Thao was hit. Detectives say dozens of casings were found outside Thao's home. 

Sanders on the stand was not cooperative, said he knows nothing about herroin, said he never spoke to police about the shooting that accidentally killed baby Thao. 

Sanders said he didn't know anything about a plea deal the district attorney says he made to testify in exchange for not being charged in an unrelated shooting. But when things got heated, he pleaded his 5th Amendment right.

Share this article: