The Benton Harbor man accused in the murder of the mother of his children earlier this month at the Hayward Wells apartment complex in the city has been arraigned on a total of four counts including open murder and is being held for preliminary exam at the end of the month.
Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic says that 37 year old William Dawun Edwards of Benton Harbor was arraigned yesterday on charges of Open Murder, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and 2 counts of Felony Firearm, in the shooting death of Novena Mathis. The 38 year old woman, found shot to death in her own car on January 7th, is the mother of Edwards’ children.
Sepic says it is alleged that on January 7th Edwards shot Mathis while both sat in her vehicle. After the shooting, she was left her in the car on or near 8th Street in the city by the Hayward Wells complex. It is also alleged that Edwards then fled to Kalamazoo. In Kalamazoo, he had a confrontation with his mother where police were called to apartments on South Westnedge. Sepic says that a firearm was recovered at that location which is believed to be the murder weapon.
Edwards was arrested in Kalamazoo and charged in that county with Possession with Intent Deliver under 50 grams of a Controlled Substance, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Felony Firearm. Bond in Kalamazoo was set at $50,000 cash or surety, and a Preliminary Exam Conference was held on January 17 with a Preliminary Exam Hearing scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, January 24.
At Edwards’ arraignment yesterday in Berrien County no bond was set as is permitted by statute and court rule on murder charges. A Preliminary Exam Conference was set for January 31 and a Preliminary Exam Hearing was also set for February 6, both at 8:30am.
Open Murder is a Life offense, Felon in Possession of a Firearm is a 5-year maximum, and Felony Firearm is a mandatory 2-year offense consecutive to any other conviction.
Sepic reminds that the charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
