Four teens plead guilty in killing of homeless man

Kim Smith

Friday, July 6, 2001 | 10:52 a.m.

Donald Jones Sr. used to see Russell Frasher nearly every day.

He'd stop and give the homeless man whatever spare change he had. So when he found out Frasher had been beaten to death he was deeply saddened.

When he found out his 17-year-old son was one of four teenagers accused of killing him, his heart broke.

"He got caught up with the wrong kids, and he can't take it back," Jones said Thursday.

Donald Jones Jr. and the three others accused of killing Frasher took deals Thursday.

Jones and Edward Hayes, 17, pleaded guilty to battery with use of a deadly weapon, causing substantial bodily harm. Rocky Arbaugh, 17, and Anthony Quickbear, 18, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Jones and Hayes will receive a prison sentence of six to 15 years in prison when sentenced by District Judge Jeffrey Sobel Aug. 14. The other two teens will receive life sentences with parole possible after 10 years.

Had the four been convicted of first-degree murder at trial, they each would have faced 40 years to life in prison.

Deputy District Attorney Michael O'Callaghan said that despite the fact the teens blame each other for starting the attack, he believes Arbaugh and Quickbear bear most of the responsibility.

Their culpability is reflected in the deals that were offered.

The teenagers told police that on April 1 they beat up a homeless man because he had thrown rocks at them and refused to buy them beer. Later that day, they said they found Frasher sleeping in a vacant field near Altra Drive and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Again, they attacked. Again, they said it was either because he had thrown rocks at them or had refused to buy them beer.

Over the next several minutes the teens used their fists, feet, rocks, bottles and a shopping cart to attack Frasher. The fatal blow to the head came from a large piece of concrete, allegedly thrown by Arbaugh, although Thursday he claimed no memory of that.

At the teens' preliminary hearing, Dr. Gary Telgenhoff said Frasher's skull fractures were so bad he could see brain matter before he began the autopsy. Frasher also suffered multiple facial fractures, broken ribs and a torn liver.

Some of Frasher's injuries had re-opened sutures that had been placed in his head just days before following another beating, Telgenhoff said.

Defense attorney Greg Denue said Jones Jr. stopped striking Frasher and walked away when he realized he wasn't the man who had thrown rocks at them. Moments later, he went back to try to stop the violence, but was unable to.

The plea agreement is the best possible resolution for the boy, Denue said.

Donald Jones Sr. said his son had just come to live with him from California three weeks before the attack.

Nothing about his son's new friends caused him concern, Jones Sr. said. They were always polite to him.

According to police records, Jones Sr. stayed by his son's side during his interrogation, urging him to be truthful.

The younger Jones' cooperation is part of what prompted him to offer a deal, O'Callaghan said.

"I always told my son to tell the truth, that the truth will help you," Jones Sr. said.

Jones Sr. said he will also be by his son's side when he is sentenced, while he is in prison and when he is released.

"I know he's no killer or beater or anything," Jones Sr. said. "He got caught up with the wrong crowd."

He offers this advice for the parents of other teenagers:

"Just talk to your kids with love so they can come and talk to you no matter what," Jones Sr. said.