Georgetown police murder was ‘drug deal gone bad’

Jurors at the capital murder trial of a man charged with the shooting death of a Georgetown police officer were presented with detailed testimony about a botched drug deal and robbery just a short time before Chad Spicer was gunned down. 

Several individuals involved in the alleged marijuana deal were called to the stand in the case of Derrick Powell, who could face the death penalty if convicted.

Gunshots were fired during an argument in front of the McDonald’s restaurant late in the afternoon of September 1st 2009, and a car fled the scene.  That car was pulled over later during a traffic stop in Georgetown’s Kimmeytown neighborhood, and during that stop Chad Spicer was shot to death.  His partner Shawn Brittingham was wounded in the neck by the same gunshot.

Jeff McBee of Dagsboro said he had agreed to meet up at the McDonald’s parking lot, in a vehicle with his fiance and her children, to purchase marijuana.  However, McBee said he started to get a “sick feeling” and returned to Dagsboro.  Thomas Bundick of Laurel admitted to being the “broker” in the deal.  Bundick also was in the vehicle that left the aborted drug deal. 

Then, a series of text-message records were screened for the jurors, indicating angry exchanges between Burdick and Christopher Reeves.  Reeves was later identified as the driver of the car containing Powell and a third man.  Reeves has already testified as a key prosecution witness.

Three employees who were working at the McDonald’s restaurant at the time talked about witnessing an argument between two men outside, then hearing gunshots. 

Darsean Adkins was one of those men.  He said he carried the marijuana to the restaurant to complete the deal, but instead said he felt a gun pressed to his back outside of the restaurant.  Adkins said he turned around and was told to drop everything.  Then, he fell to the ground after hearing a gunshot.

When asked who fired the shot, he identified Powell, who was sitting in court.

 During defense cross-examination, both Bundick and Adkins each admitted to being dishonest during their initial interviews with investigators.

Two state troopers also talked about the early stages of the trial, which enters its eighth day Wednesday.