RICHMOND, Va. β Jury selection began Monday for a Richmond man accused of killing two men within five days of each other in 2023.
Xavier Brown faces first-degree murder charges, among others, for allegedly killing Cameron Cole, 23, of Prince George, Va. and Ckristofer Tyler, 32, of Chesterfield on May 3, 2023. Court documents allege Brown pulled the trigger in both deaths.
Two other people were also arrested in connection with the deaths: Demond Williams and Isabelle Battle.
According to the documents, Battle and Cole were acquaintances and she and Brown, who were dating, conspired to rob Cole.
It stated on April 28, 2023 "[u]nder the pretense of finding somewhere to smoke weed." Battle had Cole pick her up and drive them to "secluded" spots around Richmond. The documents said Brown was following them in another car.
It said when they parked in an alley, Brown got into the car with a gun and "immediately began pistol-whipping Cole" and demanded his phone and money. As this was happening, documents said Battle drove the car to an abandoned structure which Brown allegedly walked Cole to the back of and then shot him.
Cole's family spent days searching for the new father before his body was discovered more than a week after his death.
Watch: His son Cameron Cole went missing and he fears the worst
Court documents said that while the alleged murder took place, Brown's car had been towed so Brown took Cole's car (after initially ditching it on the side of the road and tossing away Cole's phone).
Prosecutors alleged in the documents that Brown then searched on the internet how to paint a car, and there was surveillance video showing him going to several stores to get red spray paint and the video shows the car in the "various stages of its transition from the original gray exterior paint color to red."
The documents state the car was used in the early hours of May 3, 2023 during Tyler's death. It said Williams worked with Brown to "set up" Tyler over a drug-dealing dispute.
Tyler was shot and killed at a gas station on Richmond Highway, and the documents said surveillance video showed the killing. It said the two suspects fled using Cole's car, with Battle in the driver's seat.
The trio were arrested later that day when they crashed the car while attempting to flee a traffic stop in Hopewell.
Watch: Ckristofer Tyler's mother speaks out after her son's death
Brown's defense team unsuccessfully tried to get the two cases tried separately.
Jury selection is still underway for the trial, which is scheduled to last five days. Court ended earlier than normal Monday as Brown got sick during jury selection.
It will resume Tuesday morning.
Williams was convicted and sentenced to 40 years for his involvement in the crimes. Battle has yet to stand trial.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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