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Silent witness highlights second day of Waples trial

Victim’s roommate provides link to drug gang
February 23, 2017

Day two of testimony in trial of a Philadelphia man accused of taking part in a January 2014 double murder in Millsboro took a bizarre turn when the prosecution’s key witness refused to talk.

Prosecutors had called Edward Cannon, who had rented the house on Harmons Hill Road where the murders of Cletis Nelson and William Hopkins took place. Rhamir Waples, 20, is on trial for being one of the alleged triggermen in the shooting. Prosecutors say Waples, charged with first-degree murder, was involved in a crime ring in Kent and Sussex counties run by Steven Kellam of Dover, who would often use out-of-state muscle to rob drug houses of narcotics and cash.

Cannon’s testimony was intended to provide a link between Nelson and the gang. Cannon testified to having been friends with Nelson for 15 years and knew Hopkins through Nelson. Cannon said he had known Rachel Rentoul since he was 15, and also knew Jacqueline Heverin, two women prosecutors say gave Kellam information about the house. The night of the murders, prosecutors say Kellam, Waples, Damon Bethea, Carlton Gibbs, Richard Robinson and Shamir Stratton went to the house to rob it and take any cash and drugs they could find.

During direct examination, prosecutor Martin Cosgrove tried to ask about Nelson’s drug dealing, at which point Cannon - currently serving a five-year jail sentence for escaping a work release program - said he was uncomfortable answering the questions and refused to speak further. Judge T. Henley Graves told Cannon several times to answer the questions, but he did not answer. Cosgrove then introduced recorded police interviews of Cannon in place of courtroom testimony.

In two interviews played for the jury, Cannon said he had moved into the Harmons Hill Road house to lie low after escaping work release. Nelson moved in after he was released from prison on Christmas Eve 2013. Cannon said Nelson and Hopkins were dealing drugs. He said Hopkins had been involved in a fight with a friend of Kellam, who Cannon knew by his street name, Silk. Cannon said Nelson sought revenge, which Cannon advised him against because he had heard of Kellam’s association with gang members from out of state. Cannon told police Nelson ignored his advice because he wanted to stand up for his friend, Hopkins.

Following Cannon’s first police interview, defense attorney Tom Pedersen cross-examined Cannon, who sat silent as Pedersen challenged his story. Cannon told police he had found Nelson and Hopkins dead but did not call police, because he was on the lam. He said he packed some things and planned to leave. Pedersen however, said Cannon went back again, this time looking for drugs and cash. Pedersen accused Cannon of also selling drugs with Nelson and said Nelson had ripped Cannon off on heroin deals they were doing together.

In a second interview with Delaware State Police, Cannon provided further details, saying he came across the bodies of Hopkins and Nelson but did not call police or tell anyone about what had happened. Cannon mentioned having contact with Rentoul and Heverin the weekend of the shootings, although he was steadfast in telling police he had nothing to do with the murders.

“I didn’t do this. I had nothing to do with this,” Cannon told police. “That was my boy.”

He said after seeing the bodies, he panicked and ran, fearing for his safety. In the second interview Cannon said he had taken cocaine the night of the murders, but he said he had been at a friend’s house all night. When police detectives mentioned Kellam, Cannon again referred to him as Silk and said, “He’s crazy.”

Testimony will continue Friday, Feb. 24 at Delaware Superior Court in Georgetown.

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