Henrico judge denies attempt to charge Lucia Bremer’s suspected killer as adult, appeal underway

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Henrico County’s top prosecutor was blocked from attempting to charge the alleged killer of slain Henrico teen Lucia Bremer as an adult.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor said she requested the case be transferred from juvenile court to the Henrico Circuit Court in order for her to charge the male, now 15-year-old, teen suspect as an adult. However, Henrico Juvenile and Domestics Relations Court Judge Stacy Lee denied the request Monday.

The juvenile court was not able to comment on that decision on Monday.

Taylor is now appealing the judge’s decision, to once again attempt to transfer the case to circuit court. After the juvenile court judge’s ruling, Taylor remains adamant that based on the circumstances of the shooting there are grounds to charge the teen as a adult.

“The fact that there were two young girls who were facing that danger and Lucia lost her life, we, the commonwealth believes that the nature of the offense warrants the review,” Taylor said.

The teen is suspected of shooting and killing 13-year-old Bremer while she was walking home from Quioccasin Middle School with a friend. The shooting occurred on March 26 in the Gayton Forest West subdivision of Henrico County.

Months after the shooting, in September a judge ruled that there was probable cause for Taylor to prosecute the suspect for Bremer’s death.

He faces charges for second-degree murder, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm of a juvenile, one additional brandishing of a firearm charge and one count of attempted murder, as well as charges for a school shooting threat.

Now that Taylor has called for an appeal she indicated there is a 45 day timeline for an appeal hearing, and said she hopes the appeals date is set today or tomorrow.

Many of case details will remain under lock and key due to the suspect being a juvenile.

Taylor explained, “because everything that was found in juvenile court to keep the matter there, the same confidentiality protections would cloak the preceedings in Circuit Court as well.”