Deputies arrest woman who drove 12-year-old girl to Central home where she was gunned down

CENTRAL – A woman who allegedly picked up a 12-year-old girl and drove her to a home where the child was shot to death Saturday is now facing charges in the girl’s killing. 

WBRZ learned Wednesday that Gentrea Haley, 33, was taken into custody for her role in 12-year-old Cedrica Lee’s death. She was booked on charges of contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, disturbing the peace, stalking and criminal trespass. 

Arrest documents said Haley had picked up three girls Saturday on Forest Grove Avenue, planning to take them to a store. After Haley spotted her ex-boyfriend and his current girlfriend, she reportedly had the kids go into the store behind the couple but did not get out of the car herself.

After leaving the store, Haley drove the kids to her ex-boyfriend’s home and parked across the street. Witnesses said Haley had two of the children go knock on the door, but the kids started running back when they saw the doorknob turn. 

Deputies say 26-year-old Ester Williams, the man’s girlfriend, came to the door and fired a shot at Haley’s car, fatally striking the 12-year-old. Both Williams and her boyfriend, 36-year-old Patrick Johnson, fled the scene before law enforcement arrived but were captured soon afterward.

When speaking to investigators, Williams said that she had been harassed by Haley for a while and that the three minors had been following her around heckling her inside the store just prior to the shooting. She added that she saw Haley’s car pull up to the house as they went inside and noticed two people approaching the door as Haley blared the car horn. 

It’s at that point, she told deputies, that she was “tired of the harassment” and grabbed her handgun.

Williams, who is also pregnant with Johnson’s child, was booked for first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. Johnson was booked as an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and as an accessory after the fact to three counts of attempted first-degree murder.