Capital murder charges added in robbery

TUSCALOOSA | Investigators on Thursday afternoon added capital murder to charges against Antwain Demetrius Smith, one of the men arrested in connection with the slaying of a 19-year-old man at Graceland Apartments in March.

Smith, 19, was already being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail, charged with two counts of attempted murder and burglary related to the shooting of Eduardo Tepole.

According to investigators, Smith and two other young men kicked down the door of an apartment and fired shots on March 25.

Tepole lived in a nearby apartment and was shot and killed during the aftermath of the burglary, investigators said.

He was not the shooter’s original target, they said, though they have not said whether he was unintentionally shot in the crossfire or targeted after the burglary.

Akeem Ventreise Long, 18, and Deandre Darnell Young, 19, were arrested two days later and charged with attempted murder and burglary.

Smith was arrested on the earlier charges on April 12. He is being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail with no bail set.

Tuscaloosa Police Chief Ken Swindle said that evidence led investigators to obtain a capital murder warrant for Smith Thursday afternoon, but he didn’t say what the evidence was.

More details are expected to be revealed in a preliminary hearing scheduled for Long and Young in district court this morning.

Reach Stephanie Taylor at 205-722-0210.