Transfer hearing date set for teen accused in ‘watermelon man’ killing
A hearing date in August could determine whether the minor accused of robbing and killing John Materna, aka Red the Watermelon Man, will be transferred to adult court. (The Daily Memphian file)
A hearing date next month could determine whether the teen accused of killing a local watermelon vendor will be transferred to adult court.
Topics
crime Watermelon Man John Materna The Heights Memphis Police DepartmentAarron Fleming
Once an intern, he never left, joining the staff full-time in 2022 as an education reporter. He moved to public safety in 2023, where he covered some of the city’s biggest court cases, including the criminal trials for those charged in the deaths of Tyré Nichols and rapper Young Dolph. He also chronicled the Shelby County Jail and the deaths that have occurred at the facility.
He now provides suburban coverage, focusing on DeSoto County and the surrounding municipalities.
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