4th charged in connection with slaying of 15-year-old Trinity Gay pleads not guilty

The fourth man charged in connection with the shooting death of Olympian Tyson Gay’s 15-year-old daughter had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf Thursday in Fayette County District Court.

Lamonte A. Williams, 20, was charged Wednesday with wanton endangerment. He is being held in the Fayette County jail on a $5,000 bond.

Police said Williams fired a handgun in the parking lot of Cook Out restaurant on South Broadway on Sunday at the time Trinity Gay was shot in the neck. Trinity died about 4:30 a.m. Sunday at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.

Williams is one of four men accused of being involved in an exchange of gunfire between two cars in the Cook Out area when Trinity was hit. Trinity was listening to music in the parking lot with friends, according to the girls who were with her. She was not in either of the suspected cars at the time of the shooting.

District Court Judge Joseph T. Bouvier said he would not lower Williams’ bond given the nature of the case. Bouvier said Williams could be a danger to others. Two others charged in the case paid the same amount to get out of jail.

Chazerae Taylor, 38, D’markeo Taylor, 19, and Dvonta Middlebrooks, 21, admitted to firing guns in the parking lot at the time of Trinity’s death, according to court records. They have each been charged with wanton endangerment. Middlebrooks was also charged with possession of a handgun by a felon.

Additional, more serious charges have not yet been filed in the case.

“This investigation remains active and is still in the early stages,” police said Wednesday after Williams was charged. “In order to better determine the sequence of events that led to the victim’s death, investigators continue to gather forensic, digital, testimonial and other evidence. Evidence collected will be sent to the Kentucky State Police crime lab for further analysis.”

On Wednesday, Chazerae and D’markeo Taylor, who are father and son, were released from jail. They each posted a $5,000 full cash bond, according to the detention center.

Williams will be back in court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 25 at 8:30 a.m. The other three who are charged in the case are due back in court at the same time.

This story was originally published October 20, 2016 at 3:09 PM with the headline "4th charged in connection with slaying of 15-year-old Trinity Gay pleads not guilty."