Teen's own words land him in hot water

Date published: 8/8/2008

BY KEITH EPPS

Casey Welborn was planning to return to work April 11, his mother testified yesterday.

Instead, the 22-year-old Stafford man died as the result of what police believe was a brutal beating he received nearly a week earlier at a party in a county motel.

The man suspected of delivering the beating, 19-year-old Stephan Rodney-Tyler, is charged with first-degree murder and credit card theft.

Judge Frank Benser sent the charges to a county grand jury following a preliminary hearing yesterday in Stafford General District Court.

According to the evidence presented by prosecutors Lori DiGiosia and Amy Casey, Rodney-Tyler, Welborn and others gathered at the Super 8 Motel on Warrenton Road late April 5 for a party that featured underage drinking and snorting Adderall.

One witness said Welborn was particularly aggressive and talked loudly about wanting to fight.

Welborn was found the next day sleeping in the back of his car outside the Porter Library. Deputies said he was intoxicated but didn't appear in need of immediate medical attention.

Evonne Welborn, the victim's mother, said her son was unsteady when police brought him home that morning and had trouble remembering things.

The most obvious injuries, she said, were to his feet. An autopsy later revealed that he died as the result of a blow to the head.

Welborn decided against going to the hospital, but family members spent the next several days tending to him. She said Casey slept much of the time.

By the day before he died, Welborn testified, Casey Welborn appeared to be getting better and was planning a return to work.

"He thought he was OK," the mother said.

Det. John Hughes said that shortly after Welborn's death, police asked Rodney-Tyler to come to the sheriff's office. Hughes said Rodney-Tyler waived his Miranda rights and gave a statement.

In the statement, Rodney-Tyler said he woke up at 4:37 a.m. April 6 and was incensed to learn that Welborn had struck a woman at the party.

He told Hughes that he "flipped out, saw red and was going to kill" Welborn, Hughes said.

Hughes said Rodney-Tyler told him he pushed Welborn, knocking him onto his head. According to the statement, Welborn then either jumped or fell off a third-floor balcony.

Hughes said police found no evidence of the reported 21-foot fall onto the pavement.

According to the story, Rodney-Tyler then dragged Welborn to his car and drove him to the library, where he left him.

Welborn's credit card was in Rodney-Tyler's wallet, which was searched when he was arrested after making his statement.

The prosecution also presented text messages from Rodney-Tyler's cell phone, one of which read, "maybe I should have pulled that punch a little bit."

Defense attorneys John Mayoras and Wendy Harris argued that there was insufficient evidence linking Welborn's death to Rodney-Tyler.

Harris called it a "stretch" to suggest that a fight a week earlier caused the death. She added that, at most, it was a manslaughter case.

But prosecutors insisted that Rodney-Tyler's actions caused the death and his own words showed his intentions.

Keith Epps: 540/374-5404
Email: kepps@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 8/8/2008

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