Trio in court on great grandpa's murder

MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) - The Muskegon county courthouse was filled on Tuesday with the family and friends of Willie Rice, the 69-year-old man that was murdered June 20.

Darrius Huntington, Derrick Hewlett and Cordney Rowe face murder charges in the death of Rice. Police allege the trio targeted Rice because he ran an illegal gambling operation out of a back room of his Spring Street home.

Most of the gambling visitors were elderly, so the three 20-year-old men who allegedly murdered Rice saw him as an easy target, said prosecutor Tony Tague.

One suspect entered Rice's home earlier that evening to case it out and then returned with the other two suspects.

Rice, who recently retired from CWC Textron, was cooking for four people when the suspects entered and shot him in the abdomen. The men escaped with a small amount of money, credit cards and a pair of pants, police said.

Police have seized several weapons and are waiting on tests to see if the murder weapon is one of them.

Relatives who went to court to see the men accused in the killing wore T-shirts that said, "In loving memory of Willie C. Rice."

Rice's daughter, Tameka Briggs, said that the family will eventually forgive them. Rice was the father of 13 and grandfather of 30, and had nine great-grandchildren.

The hearing was adjourned until July 21.