'He needs to kill me too': Victim's family erupts in emotion during Headley arraignment

This story has been updated to include Headley's plea as well as statements from the victim's family.

Leroy Headley made his first appearance in court Tuesday, putting an end to almost two years of evading authorities. Headley pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the killing of Anako "Annette" Lumumba.

After Lumumba was killed in May 2018, Headley fled the country. He was caught by the U.S. Marshals Service in Negril, Jamaica, on Feb. 5, 2020.

Wearing a bright blue shirt, the South Burlington murder suspect entered his arraignment to an eruption of emotion. One member of the victim's family wailed, slapped her legs with her hands and thrust her fists in the air, yelling, "Why, why, why!"

A pre-trial discovery was issued for the first week of March, but the trial could still be six months to a year away, according to Chittenden County State's Attorney Sarah George. Headley will be held without bail at the Northwest State Corrections Facility and is not allowed to have contact with Lumumba's family, including his two daughters.

Many of Lumumba's family members were in attendance in court, including her sister, brother, mother, grandmother, aunt, nephew, brother-in-law and others.

After the arraignment was over, one family member collapsed, exclaiming, "He needs to kill me too." The family came together to support her and each other.

"This horrific thing happened in their life and then he was gone," George said in response to all the emotion. George was wearing a purple ribbon, a symbol of support for victims and survivors of domestic violence.

"The family is incredibly supportive of each other," George said.

"It’s a day we’ve been waiting for – I'm glad it’s here, but it’s not over," Adolphe Lumumba, the victim's brother, said. "We’ll stick together and get pass through it."

More: South Burlington murder suspect caught in Jamaica after almost 2-year manhunt

How the chase unfolded

After Lumumba, who was Headley's longtime partner, was shot May 3, 2018, Headley called his brother and told him he had killed someone, then called South Burlington police to confess. Authorities confirmed the death, but by the time they went to arrest Headley, he had fled.

On May 14, 2018, Headley's lawyer, Rick Goldsborough, encouraged Headley to turn himself in. Four days later, police found Headley's car and a gun thought to be the murder weapon abandoned in Albany, N.Y.

The manhunt then led police to Philadelphia. In November 2019, he was added to the U.S. Marshals Service's "15 Most Wanted Fugitives List" and the reward for information relating to his capture went up to $25,000. In January 2020, the case was featured on "In Pursuit with John Walsh," an Investigative Discovery channel show.

More: South Burlington murder suspect added to 15 Most Wanted Fugitives list

Headley was eventually caught in Jamaica, the country of his birth.

Contact April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton..

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