COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) -
A Columbus mother recently indicted in a racketeering and murder case involving her son and two other relatives dating back to 2008 is one the district attorney's office is looking forward to prosecuting.
"Usually a mother would steer her son away from a life of crime, but birds of a feather flock together and in a crime like this, you need someone you can trust." That's what Columbus' Chief Assistant DA Alonza Whitaker said about the mastermind behind a criminal racketeering, murder and drug ring.
Whitaker says they believe the mother, Daphene Castille, 44, headed up a drug operation that led to a litany of dangerous crimes including murder.
"Our theory is and what we will be presenting is it started with a traffic stop in Chambers County, Texas."
The traffic stop that yielded $42,000 worth of cocaine intended for the streets of Columbus. Whitaker says that big loss led Jamal Castille, 25, Dantrell Marshall, 21, and Terrell Mars, 35, to commit more serious crimes with Daphene Castille at the helm.
"We feel that led to a bank robbery and the bank robbery led to a false report of a crime."
The alleged partners in crime stashed more than $207,000 from the Forrest Road CB&T bank in September, 2008. After getting word police were hot on the trails, Whitaker says Daphene Castille made the owner report the getaway car stolen. She then allegedly ordered a hit on an informant.
"The search warrant related to the bank robbery led to the death of death of David Coleman,"said Whitaker.
That search warrant was served on Daphene Castille's property. Now, all four suspects are now waiting for their day in court following last Thursdays indictments.
Copyright 2012 WTVM. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WTVM, a Raycom Media Station.
