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Family Waits: Vigil remembers Chelsey Powers, a 15-year-old shot to death when SUV pulled in front of her house
Journal Photo by Bruce Chapman
Lighting candles during a vigil in Chelsey Powers' memory at Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church are (from left) her grandmother Carleen Commodore, mother Katrina McCandies and twin sister Ciera.
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Published: May 29, 2008
Until yesterday, Ciera Powers had not spoken publicly about her slain twin sister, Chelsey.
Powers' sister was shot to death a year ago yesterday. A vigil in Winston-Salem last night down the street from the crime scene marked the anniversary and gave Powers her chance. She was too upset to speak at her sister's funeral.
Powers rattled off stories, telling a crowd of more than 80 that Chelsey, 15, would hound her in the mornings, flicking the lights on and off to wake her up and then making sure she didn't sleep in.
"She used to stand out there every day at the bus stop, making sure I went to school," Powers said.
She said that Chelsey made a mean batch of fried chicken. She also lent an ear at bedtime, and the two would share their troubles.
Powers, 16, said she's not normally soft-spoken, but it took time to recover from her sister's death.
"I felt better," she said after the vigil. "It was like all I had to say was out."
Vigils for Healing, a local group that tries to mark every violent death with a gathering, organized last night's vigil, which was held in front of Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church on Heitman Drive. The group chooses vigil sites near the scenes of crimes to try to reclaim the space in the name of peace.
Chelsey, a freshman at Reynolds High School, was shot once in the head after a green SUV pulled up in front of her house on Charles Street about 2 a.m. on May 28, 2007.
A teenager who was with Chelsey, Danny Daniels, was shot in the lower back. Daniels was at the vigil and told Chelsey's mother, Katrina McCandies, that he was doing well, McCandies said.
Winston-Salem police have arrested three men in Chelsey's case, but none is accused of the shooting. Francisco Ramos, 19, and James Gutierrez, 18, are charged with accessory after the fact. They are accused of helping hide the rifle used to kill Chelsey. Gerardo Garcia, 21, faces the same charge, but the allegation against him is that he was driving the SUV.
After the shooting, police broadcast a description of the SUV involved, and officers stopped one matching its description on Junia Avenue near Francis Street about 3:30 a.m. Officers seized a rifle from the vehicle and took the three men to the Public Safety Center for questioning.
Gangs have been a problem in parts of the Easton neighborhood, and Garcia is alleged to be a member of the Villanos 13 gang, according to a police roster of gang members.
McCandies said that the slow progress of the case is frustrating.
"That's what we don't understand -- she's dead and no one's charged with murder," she said.
Police said yesterday that they are still investigating and have two people they need to interview before talking to District Attorney Tom Keith's office about any further charges. Police said they are not searching for any more suspects in the case.
"We're not looking for anybody else right now ,but there are two people we do need to talk to, and we're waiting to make that happen," said Capt. David Clayton.
"The delay is not on our end," Clayton said, but he would not elaborate or explain what role the two people have in the case.
"It's a sad case, and we've just got to be thorough and diligent in our work," he said.
Powers said at last night's vigil that a year ago she struggled as a student and was angry.
Chelsey would try to motivate her, telling Powers to make it through high school and then she would support her with her income -- Chelsey wanted to become a professional basketball player.
Powers has since changed schools, from Reynolds to Mount Tabor, and said she has improved her attitude and drive in life.
"I've got nobody to live off now," Powers said.
■ Dan Galindo can be reached at 727-7377 or at dgalindo@wsjournal.com.
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