Hearing set for 2 teens in pastor’s killing in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A hearing has been set for two youths who may be charged as adults in the carjacking and fatal shooting of a United Methodist Church leader in Memphis, Tennessee.

A Juvenile Court judge on Monday set a Sept. 12 hearing for two 15-year-old boys charged with first-degree murder, carjacking and other offenses in the slaying of the Rev. Autura Eason-Williams.

Eason-Williams was found in her driveway with multiple gunshot wounds on July 18. Video footage showed that the pastor was ordered out of her car and then shot before the vehicle was taken, police said.

Shelby County district attorney Amy Weirich is pursuing adult charges against the two teens. The Juvenile Court judge will decide at some point whether the teens should be transferred to adult court.

A 20-year-old man also has been charged in the killing, which shocked members of the United Methodist Church in Memphis and elsewhere.

Eason-Williams was superintendent of the Metro District of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church. She also was the pastor of Capleville United Methodist Church and a graduate of the Memphis Theological Seminary.