Toni Knight murder suspects indicted Thursday; juvenile will be tried as an adult

Bill Atkinson, The Progress-Index
·2 min read
After weeks of uncertainty, the memorial to 19-year-old Toni Knight has found its forever home at the entrance to the ArtistSpace Lofts in downtown Petersburg. It now rests next to a mural that was painted on the sidewalk shortly after Knight was killed as she walked into the building July 2, 2022.
After weeks of uncertainty, the memorial to 19-year-old Toni Knight has found its forever home at the entrance to the ArtistSpace Lofts in downtown Petersburg. It now rests next to a mural that was painted on the sidewalk shortly after Knight was killed as she walked into the building July 2, 2022.

PETERSBURG — The three people accused of killing a 19-year-old ArtistSpace Lofts resident last July were indicted by a Petersburg grand jury Thursday, and the city's prosecutor said she plans to try the juvenile suspect as an adult.

Devin Mitchell, Jesiah Flowers and the unidentified 16-year-old all face second-degree murder and firearms charges in the July 2 death of Toni "Stinka" Knight. Their trials are slated to begin next June.

Petersburg Commonwealth's Attorney Tiffany Buckner confirmed Friday that she plans to have the juvenile tried as an adult.

Knight was shot as she carried groceries into the ArtistSpace Lofts apartment building on Perry Street. Police said she was caught in crossfire between two people inside the building and one person outside.

All three suspects are from Hopewell.

Mitchell was also shot in the exchange. Police found him about a block away and took him to Bon Secours Southside Medical Center in Petersburg.

According to records from their preliminary hearing last month, Mitchell told police was leaving the building when he saw Flowers and another person go inside. According to the testimony, Mitchell said he had an altercation with Flowers when they both were in high school, but they had not crossed paths since.

Mitchell, according to the hearing testimony, "felt a pain in his right side" when he got outside, then turned and "discharged his weapon at the people he saw going in." Investigators reported finding 15 casings from a 40-caliber Glock, two identified as coming from a .9mm weapon, and about a dozen other bullet fragments.

A week after Mitchell's and Flowers' hearing, the Petersburg Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court held its own hearing for the 16-year-old and also sent his case to the grand jury.

At the spot where Knight was killed, a mural and a floral and picture memorial are dedicated to her.

More:ArtistSpace resident was fatally shot. A mural of her brings beauty in the midst of pain.

Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg grand jury indicts suspect in city woman's murder