Willis v. State

Following a jury trial, Aaron Brandon Willis appeals his convictions for the robbery and burglary of Joseph Briglevich as well as the kidnapping, armed robbery, and murder of Ramona Agramontes.1 Among other things, Willis contends that his confession to these crimes was involuntary. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm. 1. In the light most favorable to the verdict, the record shows that, on June 6, 2003, two masked and armed men broke into Briglevich’s home, tied him up, and stole money and a .45 caliber handgun from him. Approximately two weeks later, a call was made from a payphone near Willis’ apartment requesting a cab. Agramontes was dispatched to pick up this caller. The next night, July 1, 2003, Agramontes’ body was found on the ground in a wooded area. Her taxicab was nearby with its engine still running. Agramontes had been murdered with a .45 caliber handgun, and ballistics testing showed that it was the same handgun that had been stolen from Briglevich. In a recorded statement made to police on April 15, 2004, Willis admitted to the crimes against both Agramontes and Briglevich. Three days later, while being held in jail, Willis made a written confession to murdering Agramontes, as well as robbing and murdering another victim, John Evans, in February of 2004. The circumstances of Evan’s murder were admitted at trial as a similar transaction.2

This evidence was ample to support the jury’s finding that Willis was guilty of the crimes for which he was convicted beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia , 443 U. S. 307 99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560 1979.