Two men charged in Vermont murder-for-hire case to go on trial in September

2024-12-24 08:42:50 source: category:Back

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — The two men from facing federal charges connected to a murder-for-hire plot that led to the 2018 abduction and killing of a Vermont man will go on trial in September, a federal judge said Thursday.

U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford set Sept. 23 as the start date for the trial of Serhat Gumrukcu, of Los Angeles, and Berk Eratay, of Las Vegas. They pleaded not guilty in 2022 to a charge of wire fraud as part of an alleged international murder-for-hire conspiracy. The two men were previously charged with arranging to have a third defendant, Jerry Banks, kidnap and kill Gregory Davis, 49, of Danville, Vermont.

Banks, who prosecutors say abducted and killed Davis, changed his plea to guilty last year.

Prosecutors say Banks was part of a plot that began when Davis had been threatening to go to the FBI to report he’d been involved in a fraudulent oil deal with Gumrukcu. Davis’ handcuffed body was found by the side of a snowy Vermont back road.

Within hours of the discovery of Davis’ body, investigators began to focus on the oil deal as a potential reason for his kidnapping and death.

A fourth person, Aren Lee Ethridge, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty last year and is awaiting sentencing.

More:Back

Recommend

Quincy Jones' Cause of Death Revealed

New details about Quincy Jones’ death are coming to light.More than a week after the legendary music

Usher Weighs In On Debate Over Keke Palmer's Concert Appearance After Her Boyfriend's Critical Comments

Usher didn't get too caught up in the aftermath of Keke Palmer's appearance at his concert. ICYMI, t

Indictment ignored, Trump barely a mention, as GOP candidates pitch Iowa voters to challenge him

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Few even mentioned his name, and the new federal indictment he faces was c