Pair make deal in Whaley killing

Tuesday, March 30, 2004 | 11:29 a.m.

Two of the six young men accused of killing Silverado High School student Jared Whaley plan to testify against their co-defendents in exchange for being allowed to plead guilty to lesser charges, their lawyers told a judge in Boulder City this morning.

Gerald Wilks and Shane Johnson will testify against twins Shane Myers and Cody Myers, who turned 18 today, Stephen Stringfield, 19, and Matthew Baker, 18, lawyers and prosecutors said.

Wilks, 20, agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, and Johnson agreed to plead guilty to one count of first-degree murder. Those pleas are to be entered in District Court on April 15.

Police said that in interviews, Wilks said Baker wanted to kill Whaley because Whaley interfered with the group's drug dealing. Wilks also told police he helped dig a grave in a dry lake bed in Boulder City prior to Whaley's killing and served as a lookout on one occasion when Baker attempted to poison Whaley by putting eyedrops in his beer.

Wilks told police he did not participate in the Oct. 14 kidnapping, robbery and murder of Whaley.

Johnson, 17, also told police Baker wanted to kill Whaley because Whaley had used some of the marijuana that the group was planning to sell.

Johnson told police the day the group killed Whaley, Whaley drank 18 beers and a shot of tequila while at a hill off Amigo and Warm Springs Road. Johnson said they dropped Whaley off at home, and later that evening picked him up to go four-wheel driving in the desert.

They drove to the dry lake bed off U.S. 95, just south of U.S. 93, where they had allegedly dug a grave earlier, according to the police report.

Johnson allegedly told police he used a stun gun to shock Whaley and then Shane Myers hit him with a tire iron. Cody Myers loaded a 20-gauge shotgun from the back of the Jeep Cherokee they were in, and Baker allegedly shot Whaley, first in the torso, then in the head.

Johnson said he and Shane Myers then removed Whaley's clothing before Baker and Shane Myers placed the body in bags, according to the police report.

Johnson allegedly told police that the group then dug another grave because they could not find the one they already had dug. Before burying Whaley, Baker removed Whaley's dental work so his body could not be identified, Johnson told police.

Stringfield served as a lookout during the episode, according to police.

Johnson and Wilks had been scheduled for a preliminary hearing this morning in Boulder City Municipal Court but waived their rights to the hearing in the plea agreement.

The other four co-defendants postponed their preliminary hearing until April 16 because of recent developments in the case.

They are charged with murder with the use of a deadly weapon, first-degree kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder and robbery with the use of a deadly weapon.