Grandmother of Gastonia twins accused of murder offers apology

GASTONIA, N.C. — Pat Taylor was in the courtroom Thursday as her twin grandsons, Jamani and Emani Burris, 21, stood before a judge.

"I raised these kids," Taylor said.

The Burris twins are charged with murder in the slaying of Misael Garcia Vasquez, 23, during an attempt to rob him.

Jamani aid he didn’t commit the crime.

"I don't have nothing to do with this murder," he said in court.

Taylor did not excuse her grandsons.

"I'm not coming to their defense as what they did, whatever they did," Taylor said.

The twins decided to rob Vasquez Tuesday night as he sat in his car at the Franklin Express Mart, police said.

Emani reportedly shot Vasquez in the head as he sat in his car. Then someone in the store called 911 and tried to comfort the victim.

"And he looks like he is fading,” the caller told the dispatcher. “Hang in there, brother. Hang in there, brother."

"We are truly sorry," Taylor said in court. She hugged Vasquez's family members. The victim's younger brother accepted the hug, but not the apology.

"But it's hard to accept her apologies. They are all grown up,” Cesar Garcia Vasquez said. “They both knew what was wrong and what was right."

Cesar said his brother had a job as a waiter, but wanted to be a motivational speaker.

"He just had a natural way with people,” Cesar said. “He could just come to you and be your best friend."

Vasquez pledges to see justice for his brother's death.

"I will be there personally to every court case until we get this case settled,” he said.

Prosecutors said they plan to indict the twins when the grand jury meets next month.

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