Main: Barack Williams in court during his sentencing hearing (WCHS/YouTube). Inset: Caden Martin (Keller Funeral Home).
A 15-year-old in West Virginia will spend more than a decade behind bars for his role in killing a 19-year-old tobacco store clerk who was gunned down during a robbery last year.
Kanawha County Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers on Wednesday ordered Barack Williams to serve the maximum sentence of life with mercy in a state correctional facility for the slaying of Caden D. Martin, records show.
A county jury last month found Williams guilty of murder during the commission of a felony after prosecutors said the then-14-year-old acted as a lookout as another teen robbed the store and shot Martin. Under West Virginia state law, a life sentence with mercy means Williams will be eligible to be released on parole after serving a minimum of 15 years. Due to his age, Williams was not eligible for life without parole.
The shooter, Bre”juan Williams-Hampton, was also 14 at the time of the crime, which took place on Jan. 30, 2024, at the Tobacco & Pipe in the 2000 block of Seventh Avenue in North Charleston.
Williams-Hampton pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of first-degree murder and was similarly sentenced to life with the chance for parole after 15 years.
Prior to Williams’ sentence being handed down on Wednesday, prosecutors reminded the court of the circumstances surrounding the murder, including how Williams came into the store in “the last moments of Mr. Martin’s life” and stole some “SpongeBob popsicles.”
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After the fatal shooting, Williams said he “went home and ate that ice cream,” which prosecutors said exhibited “extreme callousness” and no care for human life.
“Mr. Williams further exhibited that same callousness in the statements he made to corrections officers and bailiffs during his trial, including: ‘Caden (the victim) is a b— a— N-word,'” Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Madison Tuck said, per courtroom footage posted online by Charleston ABC and Fox affiliate WCHS.
According to Tuck, additional derogatory comments made by Williams included: “Do you like Grand Theft Auto 5? I play that s— in real life,” and “Do you like SpongeBob ice cream? I know where you can get some.”
Bre’juan Williams-Hampton (Kanawha County Jail).
Williams also made comments about Martin’s parents being in court, according to Tuck.
“After the verdict, Williams said, ‘I ought to smack the smile off this n-word’s face,’ referring to the victim’s father,” Tuck told the court. “Further, the defendant stated, ‘When I get out of here, I’m going to piss on that n-word,’ referring to victim’s grave, ‘I’m going to fill it full of piss and spit on that motherf—er.'”
The prosecutors also emphasized that Williams did not show “any remorse” and “did not utter an apology” at any point during the course of the proceedings.
After several of Martin’s family members read victim impact statements and Williams told the family he was “so so sorry for what happened,” Akers unleashed a diatribe on Williams for taking the victim’s life even “after Mr. Martin gave you all everything you wanted.”
“You got convicted of it and immediately turned around and said that what you were looking forward to when you were released was desecrating the victim’s grave,” the judge said. “Those are monstrous words. It’s a monstrous mindset. And if you do not take advantage of the rehabilitation that is offered to you, you will have a long life of incarceration, I am sure of it.”
Citing Williams’ behavior throughout the legal proceedings, Akers said deciding on a sentence was not difficult.
“You make my job easy,” she told Williams. “I do not have any choice but to impose the maximum that the law allows on you sir.”
After stating that Williams would be eligible for parole after 15 years, Akers added, “I truly wish I could give you more.”
