The Tobacco & Pipe smoke shop, 2809 7th Ave. in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä, is shown on Feb. 28, 2024. The shop is covered in memorial graffiti for Caden Martin, 19, an employee of the shop who was fatally shot in the shop on Jan. 30, 2024.
Barack Howard Williams was found guilty of murder, on Sept. 8, 2025, in the 2024 shooting death of Caden Martin in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä.
CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE | Gazette-Mail
A Kanawha County jury has found Barack Howard Williams, 15, guilty of the murder of Caden Martin, 19.
Williams was charged with the felony murder of Martin at the Tobacco & Pipe smoke shop, 2809 Seventh Ave., on Jan. 30, 2024.
Under West Virginia state law, a felony murder charge means that someone can be responsible for murder if the death occurs during a dangerous felony, such as robbery.
The state has alleged Williams was the lookout in the robbery while Bre’Juan Williams-Hampton was the shooter.
Both boys, who were 14 at the time of the crime, had their cases transferred to adult court. Williams-Hampton, 15, already pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.
Evidence
The jury, made up of seven women and five men after the alternates were dismissed, heard from 13 witnesses brought by the Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, including Williams-Hampton. Defense attorneys put on no witnesses. Part of the state’s evidence included two armed incidents the boys were involved with in the weeks prior to the shooting.
According to police and testimony, the boys attempted to rob bicycles on Woodward Drive on Jan. 21, 2024. The woman who was shot in the face during the incident testified along with her boyfriend, who was also present.
He said the gun smoke seemed thicker around Williams. Williams-Hampton also testified that Williams shot the gun in that incident.
The boys are also connected to the attempted armed robbery of a car outside Mimi’s, 303 Patrick Street Plaza, on Jan. 24, 2024. Testimony, including from the victim, showed Williams tried to fire at the man when he wouldn’t give up the keys to his car, but the gun stalled.
Closing arguments
The jury deliberated for a little more than two hours after hearing closing arguments Monday morning.
In closing arguments, the jury watched the footage of Martin’s murder for the third time. Martin’s friends and family tried to look away from the footage and sobbed as they watched.
Chris Krivonyak, assistant prosecuting attorney, pointed out that Martin acted perfectly as a store clerk by being kind and attentive to Williams-Hampton. He also switched to “cooperative victim†when Williams-Hampton pulled out a gun.
Martin “obeyed like his life depended on it," Krivonyak said. "But they didn’t let him keep his life.â€Â
Ed Bullman, defense attorney, then told the jury that he didn’t believe the state had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Williams had been involved in planning the robbery.
The Tobacco & Pipe smoke shop, 2809 7th Ave. in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä, is shown on Feb. 28, 2024. The shop is covered in memorial graffiti for Caden Martin, 19, an employee of the shop who was fatally shot in the shop on Jan. 30, 2024.
CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE | Gazette-Mail
He said that Williams couldn’t even see into the store to see Williams-Hampton robbing it. The boys wanted to try to get supplies to smoke marijuana even though they were underage, Bullman said, and Williams stayed outside because he looked younger.
While the footage has no audio, Bullman said he thought Martin was telling Williams-Hampton he couldn’t sell him the supplies.
In the final closing argument, Madison Tuck, assistant prosecuting attorney, said she thought Martin was telling Williams-Hampton he couldn’t wear a mask inside the store.
The boys didn’t steal the marijuana smoking supplies that Bullman mentioned. Instead, they stole vapes as they planned, as Williams-Hampton testified, Tuck said.
Evidence showed they also stole a smoking bong.
Williams also didn’t react to the gun like he was surprised or try to get any help for Martin, either during or after the robbery.
Tuck said the boys’ ongoing plan was to point guns at people, shoot or attempt to shoot them and take property. Williams was counting on the jury to believe he’s incapable of “committing an adult crime with adult consequences,†Tuck said.
Williams will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 8. Under West Virginia state code, the penalty is life in prison with the possibility of parole in 15 years, as Williams is a juvenile.
Prosecutor comments
After the trial, Deb Rusnak, Kanawha County prosecuting attorney, said she thought this murder by juveniles was an outlier.
“ I think it's unfortunate that we ended up in a circumstance where you have juveniles who are young juveniles and had access to weapons and things that could cause the damage that they've caused, including the loss of life,†she said.
Rusnak said she didn’t think it was fair for her to cast judgment on the boys or their families, but she implored parents to watch their children.
“ We need parents who are ensuring that your kids are not out there doing these types of things and hurting other people,†she said.
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