Dressed in matching black T-shirts, three generations of the Pressley-Whetstone family huddled in the pews of a Durham County courtroom on Monday morning, awaiting justice and answers.
Stifled sobs and labored breathing murmured through the gallery as Wesley Watkins, 30, stood before Judge Michael O’Fogludha, charged in the death of his roommate, Daniel Lee Pressley, nearly three years ago.
His family members remembers Pressley, 29, for his generosity to all — even his killer.
Although several had advised Pressley to move out of the apartment he shared with Watkins, he had refused, telling his older sister Marquetta Pressley “I want to make sure everyone has a home.”
“Daniel was like a father to his friends, even the person that murdered him,” said Pressley’s mother, Selina Whetstone. “He died at the hands of a person he was looking out for.”
“His good heart is what got him killed,” said Eric Whetstone, his stepfather. “He had a heart that big.”
Pressley loved cooking, music, art, gardening and animals.
According to his obituary, he was a self-taught keyboardist, guitarist and violinist. Before his death, Pressley’s musical group, The Koolest, was nominated for Best Group at the Carolina Music Awards.
“He was a renaissance man. He had it all going on,” Eric Whetstone said.
But, Whetstone said, Pressley’s ambitions were cut short on May 1, 2020.
Pressley died in argument over rent
According to Assistant District Attorney Michael C. Wallace, Pressley was living with Watkins, then 27, in an apartment in Emerald Forest Apartments in Durham.
On May 1, 2020, Watkins and Pressley were behind on rent and facing eviction when they got into an argument and Watkins pulled a gun on Pressley, demanding money from him.
Watkins shot Pressley twice in the abdomen, Wallace said.
Whetstone said he was crushed to learn that his stepson had been killed for rent money.
“It was something we actually could have helped him with,” he said.
After shooting Pressley, Watkins tried to flee but encountered off-duty police officer C. T. Strickland, who also lived at the apartment complex.
A police report from the time said Watkins charged at Strickland, who then shot at Watkins twice, hitting him once in the abdomen.
“In the days following the incident, Watkins confessed to shooting Mr. Pressley and indicated that he had recognized Strickland as being a police officer and had wanted the officer to kill him,” the report states.
Soon after, Watkins was charged with first-degree murder.
“He (Pressley) tried to run, and the defendant chased him and shot him down like a dog in the street for a matter that could have been taken care of without extreme violence,” Pressley’s father, Darrin Pressley said in court.
Because Watkins had expressed thoughts of suicide after killing Pressley, he was evaluated in August 2022 before being found competent to stand trial.
How long will Watkins serve in prison
Watkins pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder and was sentenced to between 16 years and 36 years and two months in prison. Wallace said. His mental health struggles and lack of criminal record were factors in reducing the charge.
Although Pressley’s family said they are glad to see Watkins go to prison, it does not erase the loss of their son, brother and friend.
“He was just a boy,” Darrin Pressley said, his voice cracking. “This is not enough time for me. He (Watkins) still gets to live his life, and he will get out.”
“I am angry every single day that this person gets to survive and live and breathe and my brother does not,” Marquetta Pressley said.
As Watkins was led out of the courtroom, the Pressley-Whetstone family hugged each other and held hands. They exchanged tissues and tears and admired their T-shirts bearing a drawing of Pressley’s face.
“He touched so many lives as soon as you met him,” Eric Whetstone said. “If he walked into this courtroom right now, he’d light up the room immediately.”
When the family reached the lobby of the courthouse, they openly wept for the loss of their beloved “renaissance man.”