Ashanti Billie was a 19-year-old college student who went missing in September 2017 after she arrived at her workplace, a Blimpie’s Sub Shop, located on a naval base in Norfolk, Virginia. Her body was found 11 days later in Charlotte, North Carolina, about 300 miles away from where she was last seen alive. Her disappearance and murder sparked a nationwide search and a federal investigation, but the cause of her death remains unknown.
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The Abduction and Murder of Ashanti Billie
According to the Department of Justice, Ashanti Billie was abducted by Eric Brian Brown, a 45-year-old former Navy veteran who worked as a day laborer at the Blimpie’s over the summer. Brown allegedly tried to flirt with Billie on several occasions and made crude sexual comments to her. He was also seen on surveillance footage entering and exiting the naval base on the day of Billie’s disappearance.
The footage showed that Billie’s vehicle entered the base at 4:48 a.m. and circled the Blimpie’s at 5 a.m. The driver of the vehicle was wearing dark-colored clothing, which matched what Billie was reportedly wearing. At 5:33 a.m., the vehicle exited the base with a different driver wearing light-colored clothing. Ten minutes later, the same person was seen dumping Billie’s cell phone in a dumpster in Norfolk. The phone was later recovered by construction workers.
On September 23, Billie’s vehicle was found in Norfolk with dirt and debris on it, indicating that it had been driven off-road. On September 29, Billie’s body was found in Charlotte, near a church where Brown attended vacation Bible school as a child. Witnesses reported seeing a vehicle matching Billie’s in the area where her body was located.
The Autopsy Report of Ashanti Billie
The autopsy report of Ashanti Billie was released in December 2017 by the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The report stated that Billie’s cause of death was “Undetermined Trauma” and that her body was “partially skeletonized”. The report also noted that there were no signs of alcohol or drugs in her system.
The report did not specify what kind of trauma Billie suffered or how long she had been dead before she was found. It also did not mention any evidence of sexual assault or DNA analysis. The report concluded that “the manner of death is homicide”.
The Trial and Conviction of Eric Brian Brown
Eric Brian Brown was arrested and charged with kidnapping resulting in death and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in connection with Billie’s case. He faced a possible death penalty if convicted. However, his trial was delayed several times due to his mental health issues.
Brown was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and was found incompetent to stand trial by multiple doctors and judges. He was ordered to undergo treatment at a federal medical facility until he could be restored to competency. In February 2020, he pleaded guilty to both charges as part of a plea deal that spared him from the death penalty. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in March 2020.
The Legacy and Justice for Ashanti Billie
Ashanti Billie’s family and friends described her as a bright, cheerful, and ambitious young woman who loved music, fashion, and cooking. She was enrolled at the Art Institute of Virginia Beach and dreamed of opening her own bakery someday. She also volunteered at a local homeless shelter and mentored young girls.
Billie’s parents, Brandy and Meltony Billie, founded the Ashanti Foundation to honor their daughter’s memory and to help other families of missing persons. They also advocated for the passage of the Ashanti Alert Act, a federal law that creates a nationwide alert system for missing adults between the ages of 18 and 64 who are believed to be in danger. The law was signed by President Donald Trump in December 2018.
The Billies said that they were grateful for the closure and justice that Brown’s conviction brought them, but they still hoped to learn more about what happened to their daughter and why. They said that they would continue to fight for her legacy and to help others in her name.