KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knox County prosecutors think a 15-year-old Knoxville boy should be tried as an adult in the October killing of a teen selling marijuana.
Ignatius Bingham, who turns 16 on March 8, is currently facing prosecution for juvenile petitions alleging he murdered Junior Santiago in October on Cansler Avenue. The Knox County District Attorney General's Office wants to move him to Knox County Criminal Court.
Bingham has a May 17 court hearing before Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin. Bingham has a co-defendant who had been charged with murder as well. But that petition has been withdrawn, authorities said.
WBIR is naming Bingham because of the severity of the crime he is alleged to have committed.
Bingham had attended Fulton High School.
It's in the interests of the community that Bingham be prosecuted as an adult, the DA argues. If he were prosecuted as a juvenile, Bingham would be out of the court's sphere of influence at age 19.
Santiago was selling marijuana when he was shot to death the night of Oct. 25 in a blue Mazda near Cansler and Wallace Street.
Two people were inside the vehicle at the time, records state.
"They reported that the victim was engaged in a drug sale transaction with the defendant when the defendant pulled a firearm and demanded that the victim hand over all of his marijuana," the state's motion to transfer states.
"They stated the victim then drew his own firearm and there was an exchange of gunfire. The victim attempted to drive away while Bingham and a codefendant continued firing at the victim's vehicle."
Santiago's car hit a parked vehicle and flipped on its top.
The passengers in the Mazda identified Bingham as the gunman who approached Santiago's side of the car intent on getting marijuana.
"The codefendant was standing near the back of the car when he/she began firing," the motion states.
Knoxville police were dispatched to the scene a few minutes before 9 p.m. Oct. 25.
RELATED: Another 15-year-old charged with murder in Mechanicsville shooting, crash that killed 18-year-old
Santiago was dead in the driver's seat.
With crime involving juveniles on the rise, prosecutors are moving more to have young teens prosecuted as adults.
Two teens who were age 14 and 16 at the time are accused of murdering Austin-East student Stanley Freeman in February 2021. They face transfer hearings as well this spring.
Deondre Davis is now 17 and Rashan Jordan is now 15. They're being held in juvenile custody.
