TYLER, Texas — Editor's Note: The above video is from July 2020.
A Tyler man pleaded guilty Tuesday to his involvement in a July 2020 attempted burglary that led to the death of a 21-year-old Tyler man.
Kevondus Demonte Brantley, 23, enter his plea in the 241st District Court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, according to judicial records. He will receive 581 days of credit for time served in the Smith County Jail.
He and three other men were charged in late 2020 in connection with the death of 21-year-old Draveon Tykeith McCullough.
Last month, one of the other three men, Kobe Warthsaw, 19, of Tyler, was found guilty of murder following a jury trial and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
According to the arrest affidavit, Warthsaw, Robert Blake Robertson, Brantley, Trey Barreau and the victim tried to rob a residence in the 600 block of West Vance Street on July 9, 2020.
McCullough was found dead with a single gunshot wound in his chest at the house around midnight, police said.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the resident of the Vance Street home told police he heard a knock on the door, and when he opened the door he saw men wearing masks. He said one of them sprayed him with pepper spray while another had a gun and the men “barged in” the house.
The resident said he and one of the men “tussled” for the gun. He then got the gun and shot one of the men. After the shots, the men ran outside and away from the house. He went back into the home and emptied the weapon. He told police that there were at least four people involved and the incident happened really fast, the affidavit stated.
He denied knowing the men who tried to rob him, the affidavit read. He believed the man he shot was the one who had the gun.
During an interview with police, Barreau said Warthsaw talked about “licks” (robbery) on the night of McCullough’s death.
Barreau later claimed that Warthsaw was behind the whole incident, and Barreau thought it was a bad idea, the affidavit read.
Warthsaw was also indicted on a burglary charge on Feb. 4, 2021.
Robertson and Barreau all remain in the Smith County Jail since their arrests in 2020 on their murder charges. Robertson has a plea hearing set for Aug. 9, while Barreau has a hearing on Aug. 22, online records show.