BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WECT) – A murder suspect was in court Tuesday in Bladen County for what District Attorney Jon David calls "Bladen's biggest pending case" since he's been in office.
Ricardo Melvin, 21, pleaded guilty and was found guilty to second-degree murder for the death of 19-year-old Jahkee Travaughn Sledge, who died when rival groups fired shots into the Elizabethtown McDonald's restaurant in January of 2009. Melvin and Sledge were best friends.
Melvin was sentenced to about 10 years behind bars. He will receive credit for time served and agreed to take advantage of education programs while he is in jail.
Melvin said he entered the plea because it is in his "best interest to do so," not because he is guilty.
Unique Lesene also pleaded guilty to second degree murder charges on Tuesday. He was sentenced to nine to 12 years in jail.
David told WECT that the boys turned the McDonald's parking lot into "a shooting gallery" in January of 2009. A fight started at a basketball game between West Bladen and East Bladen High Schools and ended in the parking lot of the fast food chain.
Investigators found multiple shell casings in the parking lot, including some from an AK 47.
David said Melvin and Sledge were members of a local division of the Crips gang from Clarkton.
Johnson and Daniels were in a gang out of Dublin called "Dublin Boys."
Sledge's mother, Dora Johnson, took the stand Tuesday saying "guns kill" and nothing will bring her son back.
Friends of Sledge's family said Tuesday that is has been a tough three years, but they are hoping for some closure for the family.
Terrance Daniels and Jason Johnson also plead guilty to second degree murder in the case. They have not been sentenced yet, but David says that should happen in the upcoming weeks.
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Jahkee Travaughn Sledge died when rival groups fired shots into the Elizabethtown McDonald's restaurant.
These three men have also been charged in connection to Sledge's death.
Rival groups fired shots into the Elizabethtown McDonald's restaurant in January of 2009.
Ricardo Tyre Melvin Jr. pleaded guilty and was found guilty to second-degree murder. (Source: Bladen County Sheriff's Office)
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