Slain teen's sister accused in assault

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - The sister of a murdered teen has been arrested and charged with assaulting another teen she thinks was involved in her brother’s death.

Lou Thurston with the Newport News Police Department told WAVY.com Fredrina Myeisha Shonta Platt, 19, of Newport News was charged with misdemeanor assault, misdemeanor disorderly conduct and felony attempted burglary in connection to an incident Friday afternoon.

Platt is accused of breaking into the home of a 17-year-old Newport News boy in the first block of Heritage Way. According to Thurston, Platt believed the teen was involved in the death of Ricky Platt, 16.

"It's not a good thing when people believe rumors and take this kind of drastic action," Thurston said. "If he was the suspect that shot and killed the young man and you're breaking into his apartment, what's to say he doesn't have a gun and is going to harm you if you're breaking into the apartment?"

Jovan Phillips lives across the hall from the 17-year-old's apartment. He says he is not surprised Platt allegedly showed up to confront his neighbor.

"They don't know who exactly did it to their son, so, of course, they're probably going to come and try and hunt him down because he probably is the only lead to them," said Phillips.

Fredrina Platt was detained not long after police arrived on scene for the burglary call. She was charged later in the evening incarcerated at the Newport News City Jail without bond.

Her brother Ricky was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Heritage Trace Apartments on Oct. 2. He was found near a dumpster with a gunshot wound to his torso.

Thurston tells WAVY.com the investigation into Platt's death continues.

"We've gotten some crime line tips and some other leads and the detectives are following up on those leads."

Thurston says the police have heard the rumors about the 17-year-old Fredrina Platt allegedly tried to confront.

"If it was to come up this young man was in any way connected to the homicide, we would do what needs to be done, but at this point he's not charged."

In an interesting twist, the same apartment police say Platt tried to break into Friday afternoon caught fire late Friday night. The fire destroyed the unit. A fire marshal tells WAVY.com he is still investigating the cause of the fire.

Anyone with information on the murder of Ricky Platt or the apartment fire at Heritage Trace Apartments is asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.