Police: Boy rapped in class about killing of Federal Way teen Prosecutors seek to try 14-year-old as adult in other teen’s slaying

Wesley Gennings, pictured in a family photo provided to KOMO News. Gennings was shot dead Feb. 13 at a Federal Way Taco Bell. Wesley Gennings, pictured in a family photo provided to KOMO News. Gennings was shot dead Feb. 13 at a Federal Way Taco Bell. Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Police: Boy rapped in class about killing of Federal Way teen 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

King County prosecutors will seek to put a 14-year-old Federal Way boy on trial as an adult on allegations that he participated in a marijuana robbery, resulting in the murder of another teen.

The 14-year-old was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in the killing of Wesley Gennings, a 16-year-old shot dead at a Federal Way parking lot on Feb. 13. The younger teen has been charged as a juvenile, while his co-defendant, 16-year-old Michael J. Rogers, was charged Tuesday in adult court.

According to charging papers, a worker at the 14-year-old's school overheard the boy rapping about "smoking someone" in an apparent reference to Gennings' slaying. The boy also rapped that "snitches get stitches" during a 40-student meeting about Gennings' death.

Rogers and the 14-year-old are alleged to have concocted a fake drug deal during which they intended to rob Gennings.

At 8 p.m. the night of the killing, Rogers, Gennings and the 14-year-old met in the parking lot of a Taco Bell located at 2031 S.W. Campus Dr. in Federal Way, according to charging papers.

Gennings was in the driver’s seat of his mother’s Ford Escort when he was shot in the back of the head. He died at the scene.

Investigators learned Gennings had come to the parking lot to sell marijuana to Rogers and the younger boy. According to police, the sale was only a pretext for a drug robbery planned by Rogers.

Writing the court, a Federal Way Police Department detective said Rogers threw his cell phone into an unknown body of water following the killing. Police say Rogers was seen with marijuana packed in bags similar to those found in Gennings’ car.

Rogers was arrested Thursday, five days after Gennings’ death. Police say he was carrying a loaded .22 cal. pistol when he was taken into custody at Thomas Jefferson High School.

The detective said Rogers claimed to have bought marijuana from Gennings the night Gennings was killed. The younger boy is alleged to have told a witness that he and another party – Rogers, according to police – decided to rob Gennings because they weren’t happy with the terms of the sale.

Speaking with KOMO News shortly after her son’s death, Lonie Gennings recalled her son as a talented football player and good friend to many.

"He touched so many lives," she said. "I hope no mother ever has to go through this. It's really, really hard."

Caught following an earlier robbery, Rogers, 16, had been ordered to undergo therapy and stay away from guns on Jan. 26. He had been facing juvenile detention on a string of allegations, but received a break.

“Less than three weeks later, he deliberately planned and committed an armed robbery with another juvenile, which resulted in the murder,” Senior Deputy Prosecutor Julie Kline said in charging papers.

Prosecutors have filed paperwork requesting that the 14-year-old’s case be transferred to King County Superior Court, which, unlike juvenile court, could order him confined beyond his 21st birthday. Seattlepi.com does not generally report the names of juveniles unless they are charged as adults.

Older teens accused of most serious crimes such as murder are automatically charged as adults in Washington. Younger children are initially charged as juveniles; prosecutors then have the opportunity to ask a juvenile court judge to move the case to adult court.

Rogers has been charged with first-degree murder as well as unlawful gun possession. He remains jailed on $1 million bail and is expected to appear in court March 7.

Seattlepi.com reporter Levi Pulkkinen can be reached at 206-448-8348 orlevipulkkinen@seattlepi.com. Follow Levi on Twitter at twitter.com/levipulk.