The grandmother of a 13-year-old Lebanon girl shot and killed while asleep said the recent arrests of three suspects has been a powerful step to closure.
C'Asia Patton, also known as C'Asia Watkins, was killed in January 2015 after numerous bullets sprayed her grandmother's home on Sycamore Street.
C'Asia was struck in the head while she was in bed and later died at the hospital. Officials with the Lebanon Police Department have always believed the shooting was not random and that C'Asia was not the intended target.
"Life has been painful. It's been a great loss in our lives," Minnie McReynolds, C'Asia's grandmother, told NewsChannel 5. "She was my everything, she was my friend, and she was full of life."
This week, with the help of the Metro Nashville Police Department's Gang Unit, Lebanon police arrested 25-year-old Timothy Lorenzo Wade Jr. and 20-year-old Marvin Andre Bryant for first degree murder. They were jailed in Wilson County on $1,000,000 bonds.
Authorities also arrested 20-year-old Bailey Alexander Underwood for accessory after the fact and tampering with evidence.
Meanwhile, Joseph Hendry has been awaiting his trial after he was arrested in connection to C'Asia's murder two years ago.
"If they willingly took part in it, forced to take part in it, or they volunteered, whatever it is they would not man up and tell anything. They had no regard for human life. I would tell them they did a senseless, stupid, immature and cowardly act," McReynolds said.
Officials with the Lebanon Police Department said they have been confident on the suspects charged and have also been confident the case may almost be at its conclusion.
C'Asia would have turned 16 in March. Her family said she aspired to be a pediatrician.
McReynolds said the suspects have been expected to appear in court early next week and planned on being there with the rest of C'Asia's family.
