Two teens appear in court on double-slaying charges

Last update: July 25, 2008 - 7:30 PM

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The two teenagers charged in the horrific killings of a mother and her 10-year-old son had their first appearance in court Friday after being indicted by a grand jury.

Brian Lee Flowers, 16, and Stafon E. Thompson, 17, were indicted Thursday on four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Katricia Daniels and her son Robert Shepard in Minneapolis last month.

Family members of the two teenagers sat on opposite sides of the courtroom. Flowers' mother sat nervously and left promptly after her son identified himself to Hennepin County Judge Ivy Bernhardson. Thompson, who came before the judge moments later, stood tall and identified himself while his mother quietly cried.

The next hearing is scheduled before Judge Mark Wernick on Sept. 15.

According to the complaint, Flowers and Thompson were friends with Daniels' older son and went to the family's Kingfield neighborhood home late one night while the son was away. They allegedly stabbed Daniels 100 times and beat her with a golf club. Bloody foot, hand and fingerprints were spread through the house. The boy suffered a fatal blow to the head from a television set. Their bodies were discovered by Daniels' boyfriend, Joe Williams.

Flowers and Thompson are being held in the Hennepin County jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

RODRIGO ZAMITH