The Maryland man accused of the July 11 murder of 21-year-old Rashad Malik Alton at Mountain Valley Apartments waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Monongalia County Magistrate Court Friday afternoon.
The case will now go before a Monongalia County grand jury.
According to the initial criminal complaint, multiple witnesses told detectives from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department a verbal argument in the apartment led to an individual known as “Trey,” “Tre5,” or “Five,” brandishing a gun and shooting twice at Alton, who was struck once in the chest.
Alton was transported to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries.
Through their investigation, detectives were able to identify “Trey” as Arnold Johnson III, 19, of Odenton, Maryland.
Johnson was believed to have fled the area following the shooting, but ultimately turned himself in Aug. 7 at the Mon County Sheriff’s Office.
Johnson appeared in court Friday via video conference from North Central Regional Jail, where he has been held without bond since he was arraigned Aug. 8.
