Murder charge elevated in connection with Troy homicide

TROY, Vermont (Wednesday, July 17, 2024) — A Vermont Superior Court judge Wednesday afternoon signed an arrest warrant for Jakiy Tramaine Corey Keith, 24, of Hartford, Connecticut, arising from the Feb. 2 shooting death of Kayla Wright.

The warrant approved by Judge Rory Thibault is for a charge of first-degree murder and carries a bail amount of $250,000.

Keith remains in custody on federal drug charges, and the timing of his arraignment in the Vermont murder case is unclear.

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, suspects Aaron Camp and Terron “Josh” Pendleton appeared before Judge Thibault and invoked their right to wait 24 hours before entering pleas to their charges. Pendleton was ordered jailed for lack of $25,000 bail, and Camp was held on $10,000 bail. Their next court hearings are expected to take place Thursday, July 18.

***Update No. 2, 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 17, 2024***

The Vermont State Police on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, arrested two suspects in connection with the February homicide of Kayla Wright, 29, of Derby.

Aaron Camp, 34, of Derby faces charges of unauthorized burial or removal of a body, and being an accessory after the fact to murder.

Terron “Josh” Pendleton, 34, of Waterbury faces one count of being an accessory after the fact to murder

In addition, VSP detectives have applied for an arrest warrant for Jakiy Tramaine Corey Keith, 24, of Hartford, Connecticut, on charges of second-degree murder and unauthorized burial or removal of a body. Keith has been in custody since his arrest Feb. 6 on federal drug charges.

The state police’s investigation revealed that Keith shot Wright multiple times early in the morning on Feb. 2, 2024, inside a home on Vermont Route 100 in Troy. The shooting arose from a dispute related to drug trafficking in northern Vermont. Camp and Pendleton assisted with cleaning up the crime scene following the shooting. Camp assisted Keith in disposing of Wright’s body in a large toolbox in the area of Big Falls on the Missisquoi River in Troy.

Camp and Pendleton are expected to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Newport. A court hearing for Keith has yet to be scheduled.