Two of the three co-defendants allegedly involved in the stabbing death of Terry Floyd Jr., took plea agreements in Liberty County Superior Court Monday morning, shedding light on what happened on Jan. 21 in the 300 block of Cook Road.
Damien Walthour entered a guilty plea for tampering with evidence and was sentenced to three years probation. Co-defendant Jonathan Mathew Robertson pled to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 10 years probation. Both will testify on behalf of the state against the third co-defendant Travon Walthour.
Robertson initially faced three counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, two counts of robbery and two counts of tampering with evidence. Under the agreement one count of murder was reduced to involuntary manslaughter and all other counts will not be prosecuted. Robertson who was arrested and jailed two days after the incident will likely get credit for time served.
Travon Walthour is charged four counts of murder, one count of aggravated assault, two counts of robbery and two counts of tampering with evidence. He is currently in jail without bond and awaiting trial.
During Monday’s hearing Atlantic Judicial Circuit assistant district attorney Isabel Pauley talked about the crime.
“This incident arose out of an unfortunate situation,” Pauley told Superior Court Judge Robert Russell.
Pauley said Terry Floyd, known to everyone as T.J. and his friend Everett “Chip” Drewery had planned to buy marijuana from Travon Walthour.
“It was a drug deal that was arranged between Chip and Travon Walthour,” Pauley said. Chip knew Travon and had bought drugs from him in the past and made contact with him for the purpose of a drug transaction on the evening in question.”
In previous news reports Drewery was described as an unidentified teen witness.
Pauley said Floyd and Drewery wanted $600 worth of marijuana. Travon Walthour, not having that much pot, mixed in some seasonings to scam Floyd and Drewery, the prosector alleged. Pauley said Floyd and Drewery questioned Walthour about the drugs, “wanting to see it and wanting to weigh it.”
She said it was about this time that Walthour and Robertson decided to just rob them of the cash.
According to earlier reports, Drewery first told investigators Travon Walthour jumped on Floyd and that Robertson held Drewery at gunpoint in a ditch.
Pauley said, however, that none of the co-defendants had been armed.
“The co-defendants did not bring any weapons to the incident,” she said. “Had the defendant brought weapons to the scene the state would not have negotiated the way it has with this defendant.”
Pauley said Robertson is six-feet tall and that Travon Walthour is about the same height and build, making it easy them to overpower Floyd and Drewery who were “considerably smaller in stature.”
Pauley said Travon Walthour placed TJ in a chock hold and Robertson moved Drewery over to the ditch where he told Drewery to be quiet and took his wallet.
“This defendant (Robertson) and Chip both described hearing a struggle and cries for help from TJ during the physical confrontation between Travon and TJ,” Pauley said. “Travon Walthour was able to take the knife from the person of the victim and stabbed him multiple times, facilitating his death.”
“Everything went wrong… Travon seen TJ dig in his pocket… I didn’t physically throw Chip in the ditch we just moved over there… I could hear him (TJ) screaming but I didn’t know what was going on,” Robertson testified.
Pauley said Damien Walthour sole involvment was driving Robertson and Walthour to the scene and later stopping where Travon Walthour told him so he could dispose of the knife.
“He acknowledges that he had been offered some gas money… and we have significant evidence that he came into this, at best, thinking that this was a drug transaction...” Pauley said.