Primetime exclusive tonight: Joe Vega, a close family friend of missing 6-year-old Isabel Celis' family speaks out regarding the newly released 911 calls and Isabel's dad being barred from seeing his family.
Arrests in Murder of Beloved Middle School Principal Gunned Down in His Own Home
Montgomery County police have arrested four people in connection with the murder of middle school principal Brian Betts. According to police, it appears Betts became a target through a social telephone chat line. On the evening of April 15 Betts found dead in a bedroom in his Silver Spring home. The 42-year-old Washington, D.C. middle school principal had been shot at least once in cold-blood. Fingerprints, credit card transactions and surveillance video were the keys to locating the suspects.
Three 18-year-old males and one of their mothers are all in custody on charges ranging from first-degree murder to armed robbery to credit card theft. And we learn just before Betts’ body is discovered in his home, the suspects allegedly used his credit card to buy Nike shoes. 18-year-old Alante Saunders, 18-year-old Sharif Lancaster, 18-year-old Deontra Gray and 46-year-old Artura Otey Williams are all behind bars. Saunders and Lancaster charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery and using a handgun in a felony crime of violence. Lancaster’s mother, Artura Otey Williams, charged with two counts of receiving a stolen credit card with the intent to use it, attempted theft and attempted fraudulent credit card use. Gray, the latest suspect taken into custody, charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
Key Clues: Fingerprints, Credit Cards and Surveillance Video
Fingerprints found at the crime scene, specifically inside the home of murder victim Brian Betts, allegedly leads investigators straight to 18-year-old Sharif Lancaster. While fingerprints discovered inside and outside Betts’ stolen 2007 dark blue Nissan Xterra, leads to the arrest of 18-year-old Alante Saunders, according to authorities.
And police say evidence places 18-year-old Deontra Gray at Betts’ home the night of the principal’s murder. And of course, surveillance video plays a key role. A statement from Montgomery County police reveals video obtained at several locations allegedly shows all four suspects treating themselves to a shopping spree courtesy of the dead victim’s stolen credit cards. Credit card transactions show the four making purchases throughout the area, including north and southwest Washington, D.C. and in Silver Spring, just a few miles from Betts’ home, the crime scene. Montgomery County police say Brian Betts originally made contact with one of the suspects through a telephone chat line. Early evidence points to robbery as the motive. All four suspects remain in custody. The three 18-year-old suspects are in lock-up with no bond. One suspect’s 46-year-old mother, Artura Otey Williams, in custody in Washington, D.C., is set to be extradited back to Montgomery County. But the search for suspects is not over yet, Montgomery County Police Spokesman Capt. Paul Starks says it’s still an open investigation and more arrests are possible.
We Want Justice for Brian Betts!
Stay strong,
S. Newman
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I am not defending the actions of these individuals that committed this crime by any means but this "well respected and loved Principal" met these individuals through a "SEX" chat line, Not just a social telephone chat line. So what part does he play in his own demise??
Seriously? A pair of Nike shoes is worth someone's life? I can't comprehend how people do this. I can't fathom robbing someone let alone killing them. And I can't imagine killing someone and then wanting to shop. Thoughts like that don't even enter my brain. How are people born like this? What makes people so void of feeling? They are defective. This is insane. Lock them up. They are no good and obviously don't feel sorry.
I had a comment about the NFL player accused of rape. I was wondering how long the girl had been a runaway and had been prostituting. They said she used her phone to text her uncle and he called police, if she had access to a cell phone why had she not called anyone or sent a text for help previously if this pimp was making her do things she did not want to do and beating her, etc. It just seems odd that he would even allow her to have a phone knowing that she was a runaway, underage, and he was involved in illegal activity, she could have called the cops on him at ANY given time. ??
Trash is all I can say! Thats what is wrong with this generation growing up. The parents are to blame for not guiding them in the right direction, and for the Mother to follow along. Unbelievable! They have no remorse for what they did!
Of course! The criminals are just as I expected.
Unbelievable! what is wrong with people? murdered for a credit card? for a pair of shoes? No value for human life. Give them the gas chamber, the needle is to kind for these monsters.
How nice! The family that commits felonies together! The kids of this culture will always become criminals because they are never taught the difference between right and wrong.
They decided what their actions were worth, when they took that mans life. If this crime was worth HIS DEATH it should be worth THEIR DEATH!
What is this world coming to?
This is appalling. Hopefully the forensics are enough for a CONVICTION!
What have we become? We seem to be a society without feeling.
It scares me to think there are people out there that want what they don't deserve. Who do we blame? How have we changed so much that every move you make might be your last. Do you all have to walk around fully armed. Who do you trust? If you make one act of kindness it could be your last. We will be so afraid to help each other we will become removed from feeling anything.
What do you say to the victims family? What do you say to yourself to make it alright to rob beat and kill and innocent victim.
I don't know about you but I would like to put all those criminals on an island and let them go at it.
Venus Stewart's husband probably hired someone to kidnap his soon to be ex
This is disgusting. If they are found guilty, they should never be let out of prison. Oh yes, mom should do at least 15-20 years. She knew that the card was taken from someone her offspring had murdered. I am so sick of animals like this acting out their sick power fantasies. I was mugged in the city in N.J. where I work. I'm a very peaceful man, but looking back I wish I had a gun tucked into my belt that day. There would have been two dead scumbags. Citizens must take back their streets from crazed animals like the bunch that killed this educator. If convicted, they should rot in hell after they're carried out of prison in a box.
I just want to know WTF is wrong with people. If these fools killed him in cold blood just to buy themselves some sneakers, I don't even have words to describe what I think of them!
I hate seeing such horrible stories! It also sickens me to see such decent ppl who lose their lives to a bunch of thugs. Get yourselves a job, which gets you a paycheck, which can help you get credit for yourself & stop stealing & killing those that work hard for what they do have!!!
please hang them one by one, no prison, no parole, no retraining, just a rope a platform and four menbers of the victims family to slowly push them of platform
sorry no modification thats why were at this point in society maybe i should oh npoor unfortunates not their fault society is to blame ever hear of choices in life
This is so sad when one wants only to make friends and the others feel that they are entitiled to take what they want instead of working for it. These guys as i see it should at least be in a vocational school or job corp trying to learn to earn a living instead of killing and taking what they want. I believe in Justice and remember if you dont believe in God believe in karma because what you put out you get back nothing goes unpunished. I am happy they have caught the perps and the mother what a mom huh? She should be ashamed of herself instead of teaching her son how to work to get what he wants/needs she sets a bad example. She should encourage her son to be better than well, she was not doing her job. Thank you Nancy you are doing a great job keeping this in print and keeping the law on its toes we need you and Happy Mothers day. Sharron Gorju
i know 2 of this young men in the real world and sharif and deontra known as reef and truck 2 me are good men who was at the wrong place at the wrong time.okay if robbery was the motive i know that sharif or deontra was not the shooter and alante knows this too...
These animals need to be put down. To lazy to do the right thing and get a job.
Mr Betts was using a sex chatline and I believe he invited male youths into his home. What other perv stuff was this guy up to?
I hope these bastards fry!!!!! If someone doesn't have the balls to do it..email me!! And that includes the dirty low down good for nothing muther, who was involved!!!
I think that most of this can all be traced back to when the family unit started braking down because of children who all did not want to be part of a family of love once they found that it also meant rules. And when welfare gave them all their way out that opened the gate; now 5 generations later most of them are the parents and teachers who won't or can't give more love than they recive. People that by the way all say (you must go through the whole systom drugs suffering and get out of it on your own and then better your life or you haven't learned anything) who are now in all the churches law government systom and running most of it and it all started with the "I don't give a damn partying fats cars bikes and money are all that matter boomers and later their kids that started it all. I know what you may not see that until that unit is restored the history of your home will become romes. taken down by the laws you all use to rid yourselves of all the un-worthy ones. Which by the way again you all left one place to get away from 300 years ago. You can't destroy what you are a part of. nor run from either. It didn't work then nor will it now or will it ever!
very sad story
This is really tragic, but how many department stores did these people make purchases on a stolen credit card without a single cashier checking for identification?
I'm so sick of seeing this. Why isn't this being considered a hate crime? If it had been a black man murdered by three white teens, the headlines would have been covered with the words "hate crime" and "racist". These thugs killed a man for a credit card? The death sentence would be too kind for them. The mother obviously knew what they'd done, she should be tried as an accomplice after the fact.
You know it is just getting to be really disturbing that no matter what news organization or media outlet you view every day we are seeing young black men commiting some type of crime and usually a violent crime and in this case a mother has taken some part. Now of course there are plenty of white men committing crimes also but if you go back say one month and added up all the articles it is statistically staggering at the odds 10 to 1. And there is no end in sight, soon it will be in America as it is in Africa just in case anyone was wondering!!
RIP peace Mr Betts-
Look like a happy go lucky guy. It's a sad world we are living in.
The end is closer than most think. Live life to the fullest.
Hope the accused if convicted all fry
wow, what a shocker. filthy animals.
i live in honolulu, hawaii. i watch your show eveyrs single night, i dont miss a show. i want to say that you have taught me a very valuable lesson. never, ever, trust my granddaugher with anyone! not even the poeple i love. thank you for opening my eyes to what most people is rediculous. i love you and your make-up:) aloha, evette
Has the motive actually been established and what is the connection to the phone chat. You bareley mention it even though it is mentioned in the first paragraph as some breaking news. I think more information should have been offered before this was publicized.
This is so sad!
I think this is just awful!! I certainly hope justice is swift and these monsters pay!
This is so sad....
Unfortunately Mr. Betts had a hidden perversion that no one knew about. Inviting a male stranger over to your house, leaving the door unlocked to meet you in the bedroom. Probably had candles lit etc. waiting for this unknown individual to come and break him off. Yes, it's unfortunate that people are plotting and planning on social networks, yes it is very unfortunate that Mr. Betts lost his life for the sake of his secret life and yes it's unfortunate that these young men and mother don't have the sense that God gave them; over a pack of cigarettes, a smoke of weed, a pair of nikes and a quick joy ride.
This is a lesson to all of us on so many levels!!! Let's wake up and learn! Anything that you do in the dark will be revealed in the light. And these little knuckle heads that are going in the wrong direction we need to become that village again and raise these children.
Rest in Peace Mr. Betts and may the Lord grant your family the strength at this time.