16-year-old boy, woman charged in Hanover Street killing

A 16-year-old boy and 23-year-old Cape Girardeau woman have been arrested and charged in their alleged involvement in the shooting death of Willie Brown Jr.

The Cape Girardeau County Juvenile Office issued an arrest warrant for the 16-year-old, charging him with first-degree murder.

The boy’s name was redacted in the probable-cause statement, and he was not identified in the prosecutor’s news release.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Limbaugh charged Tyyeema Cleaves, 23, with second-degree murder, attempted robbery and armed criminal action.

Cleaves is in custody, with her bond set at $2 million, according to a news release from Limbaugh.

The juvenile suspect is being held in another state on unrelated charges, but arrangements are being made to have him extradited to Missouri through the Cape Girardeau County Juvenile Office, according to a news release from the Cape Girardeau/Bollinger County Major Case Squad.

Before a juvenile can be charged as an adult, he would need to be certified as an adult, Limbaugh said.

Brown, 31, of Cape Girardeau, was shot six times about 9:20 p.m. Sept. 7 in the 300 block of South Hanover Street, according to a probable-cause statement filed by Cape Girardeau police detective Jeff Bonham.

He was taken to Saint Francis Medical Center and died of his injuries about 3:30 a.m. the next day, Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton said.

Two witnesses said they heard the 16-year-old say he shot Brown six times in an area of the body that was consistent with Brown’s autopsy report, Bonham wrote.

The second witness said the boy was talking to Cleaves about 9:30 p.m., and he said he had shot Brown, according to the statement.

Police interviewed Cleaves on Monday, and she said she had set up a deal with Brown on Sept. 7 at a predetermined location to buy Xanax pills, Bonham wrote.

The juvenile suspect lives with Cleaves and told her he planned to rob Brown after she bought the drugs and after she had left the area, according to the statement.

The predetermined location was at Hanover and Bloomfield streets, just south of where Brown was found lying in the street.

The boy was at the scene right before Brown arrived, waiting in the bushes, according to the statement. Cleaves was walking home when she heard shots, Bonham wrote.

The juvenile suspect arrived back at the home, showed Cleaves a gun that matched casings found at the scene, told her he had shot Brown six times, and he expected Brown to die, according to the statement.

He said he came out of the alley and shot Brown, Bonham wrote.

Cleaves said the boy and Brown had problems because he thought Brown shot him in the arm June 22, according to the statement. Cleaves said she knew the suspect frequently carried a 9 mm handgun, Bonham wrote.

Major Case Squad investigators interviewed Deautryus G’Tavis Curry, 17, of Cape Girardeau on Friday about the killing, according to a news release. Curry was deemed a person of interest in the case earlier that day.

Brown’s friend said Brown had at least one child.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address: 300 block of South Hanover Street, Cape Girardeau, MO