Two men charged in connection to the killing of 15-year-old Aubry Doxley in 2022 have pleaded guilty just days before their cases were scheduled to go to trial.
Oscar Ashford, 21, and Samarion Robins, 20, each withdrew their previous pleas of not guilty Wednesday and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon under the negotiated plea agreements during an afternoon hearing at the Boone County Courthouse.
Armed criminal action charges against the suspects were dropped as part of the plea deal.
The pleas were entered after a pre-trial conference earlier in the day, where the case remained set for a joint jury trial scheduled to begin Monday. Judge Jeff Harris accepted both pleas, according to court records.
Ashford and Robins were arrested in connection with the 2022 death of a 15-year-old Aubry Doxley on McKee Street in Columbia. A final disposition and sentencing hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday. Both defendants are expected to be present at the Boone County Courthouse for that hearing.
Aubry Doxley
Aubry's mother, Latoya Doxley, previously told KOMU 8 that her daughter was lying in her bed when bullets came through the window and killed her in February 2022.
One more suspect remains set for trial in connection to the shooting. Daniel Ayers, 23, is charged with second-degree felony murder, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action, according to court records.
Court documents alleged that Ayers, acting with others, shot a firearm from a moving vehicle on McKee Street. He has a hearing set for 1:15 p.m. Friday and a jury trial set for April 14, according to court records.