A neighbor’s security surveillance video helped police first identify the teen suspects in the December shooting death of a 12-year-old Birmingham girl killed during a sleepover with two friends.

Ja’Von Eric Wilson, 19, and Jarei Lamar Vance, 18, both are charged with capital murder in the killing of Audriana “Minnie” Pearson.

She was shot at her home in the 500 block of 16th Avenue N.W. about 1:51 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022.

Both suspects were in court Wednesday to hear the evidence against them during a preliminary hearing.

Birmingham homicide Det. Marcus Whitson testified for roughly an hour about the deadly shooting and what led to the arrests of Wilson and Vance.

In addition to the surveillance footage, Whitson said, Flock cameras also captured the suspect vehicle – a stolen Hyundai Elantran- and cell tower records put both suspects in the area near the time of the killing.

Two guns were recovered from the vehicle, both 9mm handguns — the same type of gun that killed Audriana.

Wilson is being represented by attorney Tommy McFarland. Vance is represented by attorneys Emory Anthony and Starr Culpepper.

Jefferson County Assistant District Attorney Foster Marshall is prosecuting the case.

Defense attorneys argued there was not enough evidence to actually put their clients at the scene during the fatal shooting.

Jefferson County District Judge William Bell ruled there was enough probable cause against the teens to send their cases to a grand jury for indictment consideration.

The attorneys also questioned why a third person, who was taken into custody with Wilson and Vance and was the person who was actually in possession of the stolen suspect vehicle, was not charged as well.

Vance is also charged with attempted murder in an unrelated case, and Wilson is charged with receiving stolen property because he was driving the stolen Hyundai when the suspects were captured following a police chase about 12 hours after the crime.

A motive has still not been determined.

The detective said that Audriana, who was a seventh grader at Erwin Middle School where she was on the cheer squad, the dance team, and a whiz in mathematics, had two girlfriends spend the night with her that night.

Audriana’s two friends told police all three were in a bedroom playing a game when shots were fired into the home at 1:51 a.m.

At least 17 shots were fired, the detective said. One of them struck Audriana in the head and others struck the window, the television, and walls.

Audriana’s mother, Tyraneeka Myricks, told police she was in another room when she was awakened by the gunfire.

Audriana was pronounced dead on the scene. No one else was injured.

Whitson testified that a neighbor’s camera captured a Hyundai sedan drive onto the street, park in front Audriana’s house and turn off the car lights. Shots then rang out, the detective said, and the car sped away.

Authorities then used Flock cameras to search vehicles in the area at the same time and found the Hyundai on the Flock system which had matching damage.

Records show, Whitson said, the vehicle entered the neighborhood at 1:14 p.m., 10 minutes before the deadly shooting.

Police issued a lookout bulletin for the suspect vehicle.

Later that day – about 12:20 p.m. – officers spotted the vehicle near Interstate 59 and a chase ensued. The chase continued until it reached 19th Street in Ensley where the detective said the vehicle broke down.

Three suspects were taken into custody – Wilson, Vance and a third male who has not been charged in Audriana’s death.

Whitson said Wilson was in the driver’s seat, the third male was in the front passenger’s seat and Vance was in the backseat on the passenger’s side.

The Hyundai had been reported stolen out of Bessemer and had a switched tag. Inside the vehicle, the detective said, officers recovered two Glock handguns, one of which had an extended magazine.

Both Wilson and Vance were interviewed by detectives, during which Wilson admitted he was driving the vehicle and Vance admitted he did have a Glock with an extended magazine, Whitson said.

Both guns and the shell casings recovered from the scene have been submitted for analysis, but the results of those tests have not yet been returned.

Whitson said cell phone records put both Vance and Wilson near the crime scene.

Under cross examination by Anthony, Whitson acknowledged that both of Audriana’s friends told investigators that there had been a fight earlier that day involving one of their friends and a young male, and both expressed concern that could have led to the shooting.

“Both told you he possibly could be the shooter?’’ Anthony asked, to which the detective replied, “yes.” That male was not actively pursued as a potential suspect, testimony showed.

Asked what evidence led to the charge against Vance, Whitson said the video. Under questioning, Whitson acknowledged that the video did not show who specifically was inside the Hyundai at the time of the shooting.

Vance told police he spent the night at Wilson’s house that night, Whitson testified. Wilson’s mother told investigators she did see both of them at her house but did not give detectives a specific time that they were there.

Under questioning by McFarland, Whitson testified that they ran a 30-day history on the whereabouts of the Hyundai using license plate reader technology and said the car was often in Brighton, where the third male who has not been charged lives.

Whitson said while Wilson and Vance gave voluntary statements, the third male did not give a statement and asked for an attorney. Asked why he wasn’t charged, Whitson said there was not enough probable cause at this time but that the investigation is ongoing.

After the detective’s testimony concluded, McFarland argued that there was not enough probable cause to send his client’s case forward in the judicial process.

“There’s no video to indicate Mr. Wilson was at this location, there’s no confession,’’ he said. “The other individual (the third male not charged) who I would argue is the most culpable person who had the vehicle, was in the vehicle…was not charged.”

McFarland also asked that Wilson be given bond so that he could go back to school.

“My client has not been in trouble before, he has not been charged with a crime that I can see, and he’s just trying to graduate,’’ he said. “I know Mr. Vance is friends with the victim’s family, so there’s no ill will or any reason these young men would hurt (the victim.”

Bell ordered both Vance and Wilson remain held without bond.