Teen Dragged By Car In Boston Dies, 2 Charged With Murder: DA

BOSTON, MA — The two men who allegedly dragged 18-year-old Kemoni Miller alongside their car during a cellphone robbery now face murder charges after the young man died, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.

Miller died at Boston Medical Center Wednesday morning after four days on life support.

Later that day, police charged Dejon Barnes, 18 and Kenneth Ford, 23, who had previously been charged with unarmed robbery for the Nov. 16 encounter.

The DA's office said the investigation suggests Miller had negotiated the sale of an iPhone XS to Barnes online and planned to meet with Barnes and Ford on Gallivan Boulevard.

The two drove over in a rental car Ford’s friend had rented, according to police. They drove up to Miller with the window down, snatched the phone from him, closed the window on Miller's arm and sped off.

Miller's arm was caught in the window. He was dragged about half a mile and suffered a head injury when he eventually fell from the car. He was transported to Boston Medical Center but never regained consciousness, according to officials.

Utilizing cell phone records, text messages, witness statements, video footage and other evidence, investigators said they identified Barnes as the man who offered to buy the phone from Miller and Ford as the driver of the car that dragged him.

State Police arrested both men at a house party in the West End early Sunday morning.

Barnes and Ford were initially charged with unarmed robbery and held on $100,000 cash bail each at their Nov. 19 arraignments.

Their arraignments on the murder charges have not yet been scheduled. They are expected to return to court on Dec. 4.

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Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff