DINWIDDIE, Va. – The 21-year-old man who allegedly murdered his cousin, Ke’Asia Adkins, was officially indicted Tuesday by a grand jury for first-degree murder and abduction with intent to defile.
Anton Deonte Coleman, of the 18000 block of Bishop was indicted on the crimes alleged to have occurred between June 25 and June 28.
The body of the 17-year-old female was discovered in an area behind her home, four days after she was last seen leaving her home for cheerleading practice. Adkins was scheduled to work the day she went missing, but her coworker picked up her shift.
Sources confirmed Coleman and Adkins were related to each other.
The cause of death was asphyxia and the manner was homicide, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Coleman was previously charged with abduction.
The indictments were filed by Dinwiddie Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill, based on ongoing investigations by the Dinwiddie County Sheriff’s Office.
Baskervill said that law enforcement were able to draw some conclusions about her disappearance when the sheriff’s team found the young girl’s body.
“The Sheriff’s excellent investigators suspected a particular assailant and recognized the importance of urgent action to prevent any other potential violence or destruction to this family," Baskervill said. "So I identified probable cause for abduction and suggested, ‘Let’s get a warrant.’"
"I received that call at 8:01 a.m. Within the hour, Lt. Gunn with DCSO obtained the warrant. Less than two hours later, investigators arrested Anton Coleman," she said.
Baskervill called the murder "horrible and tragic, causing senseless loss and profound heartbreak."
"Certainly I speak for investigators as well in continuing to extend heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of the victims,” Baskervill said. “But we will not let our community be degraded or undermined by violence and destruction.”
The grand jury meeting on July 17 was the first county grand jury to meet since the murder occurred.
Crime Insider sources confirmed that Coleman is accused of assaulting his stepfather and mother a little more than two weeks before Adkins disappeared.
Coleman, who is being held without bond at Meherrin River Regional Jail, is scheduled to appear in court at 10 a.m. on Aug. 21.
The Adkin family pastor and spokesperson Belinda Baugh said the following after Tuesday’s developments.
“The family is still grieving an awful lot, they are aware of the new developments – some of them are attending the court hearings. But, we ask that people be mindful that this is family, and this is not a stranger. We are talking about a brother’s child. They are a close-knit family.
Everyone who knew Ke’Asia knew she was a beautiful individual. That is extended to the family. We ask that people keep the family lifted up in prayer.”
