DETECTIVES: DNA & SWEET POTATO BITS FINGER DEVARUS HAMPTON, TWELVE...

(Initially published February 28, 2023)

HN PHOTO: 42 Fresh Holes Rd as photographed early this morning,12 years and one day after the Todd Lampley murder. Insert: Devarus Hampton under heavy security, being led into Barnstable District Court for his arraignment on yesterday…

HYANNIS – According to an affidavit filed in Barnstable District Court by Trooper Matthew Lavoie of the Massachusetts State Police detective unit directed by the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office, on February 27, 2011 the crime of Murder was committed at 42 Fresh Holes Road. The victim was identified as “one Todd LAMPLEY,” according to Trooper Lavoie’s affidavit.

Patrol officers had reportedly begun arriving around 10:04 p.m. that evening, after Barnstable Police dispatch received a 911 phone call about a shooting. Patrolman Peter Myrbeck was first to enter the residential duplex and was able to identify the gunshot victim as 31-year-old Todd Lampley.

The affidavit identifies three other individuals inside the residence when police began arriving on scene. Tyashia Warren reportedly was in the living room when she heard Todd Lampley yell after also just having heard two gunshots. She then went and observed Lampley lying on a bed, bleeding. She reportedly told officers she pulled him from the bed and placed him on the floor. “Tyashia Warren also stated that prior to the shooting, there was a light bulb in the outside light fixture to the front door of the residence,” the affidavit continues. Arriving investigators would reportedly describe observing “that the light bulb had been removed.”

Curtis Collins had also reportedly been inside the residence, and also in the living room when Lampley got shot. He reportedly identified himself as a friend of Lampley. Barnstable Police Detective Jason Laber asked Collins, “Do you know who did this?” And Collins reportedly answered him, exclaiming, “I’m gonna find out! You guys better find him first!” Patrolman Bredan Burchell then reportedly drove Collins back to BPD headquarters for “a formal interview.”

Later, around 11:30 p.m., while being interviewed by BPD Detective Laber and BPD Detective Thomas Chevalier, Collins reportedly stated being in the front bedroom with Lampley watching a basketball game. The affidavit continues, “COLLINS stated that at some point during the game he got up, left the bedroom and entered the living room where Tyaisha Warren was located. COLLINS told Det. Laber that he stayed in the living room for approximately five (5) minutes at which point he heard two (2) to four (4) gunshots. COLLINS stated that after the gunshots, he (COLLINS) and Warren ran into the bedroom and observed LAMPLEY lying on the bed. COLLINS stated that LAMPLEY was yelling ‘I’ve been shot!’ During this interview COLLINS stated that he had two phones on him and had lost one of his [phones] at the scene. COLLINS explained that the phone was a black boost mobile flip phone.”

Earlier, at around 10:21 p.m. that evening, Lt. Kinney of the Hyannis Fire Department reportedly determined that Todd Lampley had no vital signs of life, and that he was not viable for resuscitation. Lampley was not transported to hospital.

An autopsy the next day – February 28, 2011 – was reportedly performed by Dr. Jennifer Hammers at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Dr. Hammers reported noting three gunshot wounds. “Dr. Hammers ruled that the cause of death was gunshot wounds of torso with rib fractures and lung injuries and the manner of death was homicide,” according to the affidavit filed by Trooper Lavoie.

Trooper Lavoie’s affidavit continues as follows:

“7. Outside of the residence three .22 caliber Federal Ammunition shell casings were recovered from the area in front of the front bedroom window through which it appeared LAMPLEY was shot. On the ground directly under this window was a sweet potato. This potato was cut flat on one end. There was a small hole running the length of the inside of the potato which appeared to have been carved out. The other end of the potato was blown out and irregular. There were several chunks of potato on the windowsill below the window and on the ground in the area of the window. Investigators believe that this potato was used as a silencing device to muffle the sounds of gunshots. When investigators searched the inside of the room where LAMPLEY was shot, they observed that the window curtains were of a dark color and were closed. There was also a hole in the curtain of the right side of the window (as looking out), consistent with being made by a bullet. The bed in the room was placed with the head of the bed directly up against the window. The headboard of the bed was partially blocking the lower half of the inside of the window. There was fresh damage to the top of the headboard, that appeared to be caused by a bullet. The hole in the curtain was above the top of the headboard. An examination of the yard area directly behind 42 Fresh Holes revealed a set of footwear impressions. Trooper Tarbokis of State Police Crime Scene Services photographed and analyzed these impressions. Tpr. Tarbokis determined that these impressions matched those of Adidas Original sneakers. The size of these impressions was determined by Tpr. Tarbokis to be smaller than a size 11. In the area of the yard near the left rear corner of the house [investigators] found a black boost mobile cell phone. Records for this phone obtained through an administrative subpoena to Sprint / Nextel revealed that the owner of this phone was listed as Marlo Stanfield. Investigators are also aware that Marlo Stanfield is a fictional character in the television series ‘The Wire.’ In episode seven of season four entitled ‘Unto Others’, a potato is used as a silencing device for a firearm. Investigators later learned that the black boost mobile phone was identified as belonging to COLLINS (see paragraph 8 below).”

[HN NOTE: The following are screenshots of Trooper Lavoie’s 23-page affidavit in support of an arrest warrant for Devarus Hampton. I urge everyone interested in this case to carefully read this redacted version of Trooper Lavoie’s affidavit. The affidavit outlines the state’s case and perhaps explains why it took 12 years to arrest Hampton as a suspect. Since 2011, Trooper Lavoie professes there have been advances in cell phone investigation technology, along with advances in DNA science that have helped tie together the state’s case over the span of the past 12 years. The paragraphs are numbered, beginning with 8 since this HN report covers up to paragraph 7 thus far. Read carefully and pay attention to the dates… and if you’re reading on your phone, you may try turning it sideways.]

[ALSO NOTE: This is a part of the prosecution’s side of the argument. The defense for Hampton has not yet been read by or heard by HN. Read and consider the above carefully… and note that Devarus Hampton is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.]