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Murder-for-hire suspect denied bail in Accomack County

The man who was shot but did not die was an informant for the Eastern Shore drug task force who was set to testify against two men facing drug charges.
Credit: Accomack County Sheriff's Office
Aaron Bowens

ACCOMAC, Va. (Delmarva Now) — A circuit judge denied bail on Thursday for a 23-year-old man that Accomack County law enforcement officials said is connected to a murder-for-hire case.

Aaron Bowens is charged with conspiracy to commit capital murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

The man who was shot but did not die was an informant for the Eastern Shore drug task force who was set to testify against two men facing drug charges.

In August, another suspect in the case, Roquan Rogers, was convicted of three conspiracy charges including conspiracy to commit capital murder.

The jury failed to reach agreement on nine other charges including the malicious maiming of Johnson and a woman, both shot on Halloween night of 2017.

Virginia Beach attorney Afshin Farashahi argued Thursday that his client should be admitted to bail because he “comes with a presumption of innocence.” He said the commonwealth maintains co-defendant Roquan Rogers “was actually the shooter.”

More: Four arrests made in Accomack attempted murder-for-hire scheme

Farashahi said his client is not charged with being the triggerman and had longstanding connections in this community. He said Bowens wanted to be tried by a jury.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan responded that Bowen’s criminal history was the reason he should remain in jail. In 2015, Bowens was convicted of malicious shooting in a public place.

“There is a copious amount of evidence that shows this defendant in it up to his neck," Morgan said. “He is a threat to the safety of the witnesses and a threat to the safety of the public.”

The evidence presented by the defense is not sufficient to overcome the presumption of no bail, said Judge W. Revell Lewis III.

“There is testimony from Ms. Harmon (another co-defendant) of conversations between her and Mr. Bowens. Mr. Bowens received $1,000 for shooting the commonwealth’s witness. He didn’t get the full amount because the witness wasn’t actually killed,” he said. “The court denies you bail."

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