Enforcement Continues at Homeless Camps

While public officials were debating a new panhandling ordinance and activists were rallying the cause of ending camping evictions, the Concord Police continued to warn and issue citations to campers, and arrested one who was charged a few years ago with murder.

During a sweep of the area behind The Concord Center on May 8, police arrested Shelby Weston, 47, and charged him with criminal trespass.

At a little before 1 p.m., came upon a number of individuals who were camping in the area. Weston was allegedly intoxicated and “fell face first onto the ground,” according to the reporting officer. The officer alleged that Weston was “argumentative” when speaking with them about the trespassing.

Weston was warned on May 3, and May 5, according to dispatch, to vacate the area. He allegedly began yelling at officers when they attempted to take his picture, saying it was illegal and he was going to sue. Weston was then arrested.

During processing, Weston refused again to allow his picture to be taken. When he was told that he would be sent to jail if he didn’t, he allowed his picture to be taken, according to the report.

Weston reportedly told the officer that he should look up his name in relation to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the officer later wrote that Weston was arrested for first-degree murder in that city.

Weston was released on $2,000 personal recognizance bail and is due in court on June 17.

According to television and newspaper outlets in Tulsa, Weston and Leon Vantrees were arrested on April 13, 2009, and accused of beating and kicking Kevin Russ Woodruff, another homeless man, to death. Police alleged that Weston and Vantrees were trespassing at a vacant duplex and got into an argument with Woodruff. Woodruff’s body was dumped outside the duplex. Weston and Vantrees were later found with blood on their shoes, according to arrest reports.

A few months later, however, in August 2009, the charges were dismissed when the case began to fall apart. The prosecution team had witness problems – one died, another disappeared, according to published reports – and the murder charges were dismissed pending further investigation before a preliminary hearing. It was reported that the charges could be refiled “if more evidence develops.”

While Weston made his way to Concord sometime after being released and before 2010, Vantrees remained in Tulsa, and has been arrested numerous times since the murder charges were dropped. Weston has also been arrested a number of times by Concord Police on various charges during the last few years.

Other sweeps

While on bike patrol, officers have been able to access areas that were previously frequented by campers, including the area by the I-393 overpass, “the tubes,” the area behind the Holiday Inn and near the state transportation building, and behind the Capital Plaza Shopping Center.

Officers patrolling the area have issued single summonses to the following campers who allegedly ignored warnings not to camp on private or public lands in the city of Concord. They are: Michael Dana Morin, 50; Jeanne Richardson; William G. Strickland Jr., 53; Anna Heine; William Ernest Clifton Jr., 49; Thomas Bruce Heckel, 49; and Janet Smith. Anne M. Emmons, 47; Paul John Bonin, 49; and Benjamin Berry, 36; were all issued repeated summonses for criminal trespass. All are due in court on June 17.