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Audrevious Williams (York County Sheriff’s Office)
A 31-year-old man in South Carolina will spend more than a decade behind bars helping his girlfriend cover up the horrific death of her 4-year-old special-needs daughter, who was found beaten to death and stuffed in the drawer of a dresser shared nearly five years ago. Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Eugene C. Griffith Jr. on Thursday ordered Audrevious Jarrell Williams to serve 12 years in a state correctional facility for his role in the 2020 slaying of India Heavenly Lacey Martin, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
Williams had been charged with one count of murder and one count of homicide by child abuse in connection with the pre-schooler’s death. But he reached a deal with prosecutors in which he agreed to plead guilty to one count of aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse and testify against India’s mother, Jackleen Mullen, during her murder trial in exchange for more serious charges being dropped.
A jury went on to find Mullen guilty of one count of homicide by child abuse and one count of aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse. She was acquitted of the murder charge.
Griffith subsequently sentenced her to 30 years on the murder charge and 10 years on the aiding and abetting charge, to be served concurrently, meaning at the same time. She is required by law to serve at least 85% of her sentence.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Detective Robert Smith with the Rock Hill Police Department described the horrific circumstances surrounding India’s death, telling the court, “This little girl died one of the most miserable deaths a child has ever had,” according to a report from The Herald.
Senior solicitors John Anthony and Erin Joyner reportedly asked Griffith to give Williams the maximum 20-year sentence allowable by law, but Williams’ defense attorney, Geoff Dunn, argued that his client “took responsibility for his role in this tragic case.”
“I am glad the court gave Mr. Williams a sentence that balanced the need to hold him accountable with the hope of a second chance,” Dunn said, the Herald reported.
Williams was credited with 931 days of time served.
As Law&Crime previously reported, police on May 26, 2020, questioned Williams and Mullen about India’s whereabouts while conducting a welfare check at the home shared by the couple. Mullen told the officers that her daughter was staying with a relative named Cindy in North Carolina, but in fact, the little girl’s body was actually stuffed into the drawer of a dresser in an upstairs bedroom.
During a subsequent search of the home, police made the grisly discovery of India’s body.
Police-worn body camera footage played during the trial showed the interaction between an officer and Mullen before India’s body was found.
“You want to go to jail for murder,” the officer asked Mullen in the footage. “Where’s that child? She’s dead, and we know it.”
“My kid’s not dead,” Mullen replied in the footage, adding, “My kid is at Cindy’s house.”
At trial, prosecutors also emphasized that Mullen came to police headquarters and admitted her guilt in a separate forgery case while still lying about the fact that her daughter was dead.
“While her child was dead in her house, Ms. Mullen came down here to the Moss Justice Center and pleaded guilty to that forgery,” prosecutors told the court before Mullen was sentenced.
Mullen will not be eligible for parole until July 2047.
