NORFOLK, Va. — Court documents allege that Norfolk teenager Asia Cowell was abducted and killed in order to silence her testimony in a rape case.
The 17-year-old was reported missing in Norfolk on Sept. 7 and her body was found in Newport News two weeks later. Three people have been charged in connection to her death.
An affidavit says that the people who kidnapped and killed Cowell all knew she planned to testify in an upcoming rape case where she was the victim.
According to the affidavit, Asia was lured to a home in Norfolk, forced into a car at gunpoint, driven to Newport News and then led into the woods where she was shot and killed.
It all started on Sept. 7 when Asia's aunt, Tatina Cowell, dropped her niece off at an apartment on West Kenmore Drive in Norfolk for a hair appointment that afternoon.
Cowell's aunt said she would pick Asia up when she was done. After a few hours, Tatina Cowell tried calling Asia with no answer.
Before police reported that Asia had gone missing, they spoke to the residents of the W. Kenmore Drive apartment -- Crystal and Devin Albritton.
Crystal Albritton told officers that she didn't like the way Asia had done her hair, but paid her and told her to leave. Albritton alleged that she left the apartment just a couple of hours after she was dropped off.
Asia was reported missing that day and hadn't been seen alive since. The night of Sept. 22, officers got a call that a body was found in the woods off Warwick Blvd.
Newport News police confirmed the body was that of Asia Cowell's on Sept. 23. Investigators said she died after being shot.
The subsequent investigation into Cowell's death revealed that Asia was lured to the apartment on W. Kenmore Drive by the very people who were later charged with her murder.
Court documents go on to say that Crystal and Devin Albritton along with 18-year-old Dazha Feaster, who was 17 at the time of Asia's disappearance, were at the apartment when Asia arrived.
Officer interviewed Feaster and Devin Albritton who confessed they were involved in Asia's murder.
Feaster told police she knew Asia planned to testify against her brother, Desean Corum, after Asia accused Corum of rape. Devin and Crystal Albritton also admitted to police that they knew about the case and the planned testimony as well.
The Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said Desean Corum was charged with rape and other charges in a case in which Asia Cowell was the victim.
A preliminary hearing was set on Sept. 29 in Norfolk Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court -- six days after Asia Cowell's body was found.
The hearing didn't go forward after the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office learned that Asia Cowell had died. Upon receiving that news, the office filed a motion to withdraw the charges which was accepted in court.
In his interview with police, Devin Albritton said that Crystal Albritton and Dazha Feaster plotted to kill Asia to block her testimony. He said he knew about their plans and helped kidnap Asia.
On Sept. 7, Asia was invited to the home by Crystal Albritton.
Feaster and Devin Albritton helped Crystal Albritton restrain Asia when she arrived. Crystal and Devin Albritton then forced Asia into Crystal's car. As Crystal Albritton drove to Newport News, Dazha Feaster told police she held Asia in the backseat at gunpoint.
Feaster continued to hold Asia at gunpoint after Albritton stopped at a wooded area and they began walking deep in the woods.
Feaster told police that Crystal Albritton told her to shoot Asia. When Feaster hesitated, Albritton grabbed the gun and shot Asia. Devin Albritton was not there at the time of the shooting, but Crystal Albritton did tell him that she shot Asia, according to court documents.
Devin Albritton confessed that he disposed of Asia's cell phone and other belongings and also got rid of the murder weapon.
Crystal and Devin Albritton as well as Dazha Feaster were charged with first-degree murder in Asia's death.
