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Suspect, 15, may be charged as an adult in Anthony Wilson shooting death in Beaumont

Officials say a number of factors go into determining whether a juvenile will be tried as an adult.

BEAUMONT, Texas — Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing of Beaumont father Anthony Wilson.  

Seventeen-year-old Jamirious Gardner, 18-year-old James Cook, and 26-year-old Bernard Bell were all arrested in connection to the murder of 37-year-old Anthony Wilson. Bell is charged with tampering with evidence and felon in possession of a firearm. Bell was released on bond Monday.

The fourth suspect is a 15-year-old, but what happens to a juvenile in a case like this?

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The district attorney says nothing can be assumed at this time.

"Let's talk hypothetically because we can't talk specifics," said District Attorney Bob Wortham. "Any 15-year-old that commits a violent offense can be certified as an adult."

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The DA says certifying a juvenile as an adult must happen first, before going forward with any adult crime.

Judge Larry Thorne tells 12News the procedure of being certified is not solely affected by the fact that an offense was committed.

"The maturity of the child," Judge Thorne said. "Has the child ever been involved in the system before? Do they know the difference between right and wrong?"

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They also factor in if the child is going to be a danger to the community if they remain in the juvenile system.

"You've got to have two psychiatrists or psychologists to do mental evaluations to determine if they can cooperate with their lawyers, if they understand what's going on," Thorne said.

The district attorney says it's a community effort to stop crime.

"I think that we have a very small group of people that are not caring, callus, and you could care less about what happens to you, me or anybody else around them, and if we could get rid of this group, then I think our crime level would go down substantially," said Wortham.

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