2 Men Charged In Connection To Curtis Jenkins III's Kidnapping, Death Denied Bail

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Two suspects charged in connection with the abduction and murder of an elected official's grandson were denied bail during a court appearance Thursday. The men are facing charges in the death of 20-year-old Curtis Jenkins III, the grandson of Camden City Council President Curtis Jenkins.

Thirty-two-year-old Brandon Beverly, of Westville, New Jersey was the first to appear in the cases back to back court hearings with the victim's distraught family members looking on.

Beverly is the accused mastermind of Jenkins' kidnapping and was charged with murder.

Despite the difficult testimony, loved ones of Jenkins III say they will be at every court hearing until justice is served.

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"I'm here to make sure justice prevails for him and I'll be here, at every hearing, at every court appearance, I will be here," Jenkins said.

Authorities say on the night of June 30, Beverly had Jenkins, who ran a food delivery business, deliver a platter of food and then allegedly kidnapped him and used a stolen cellphone to make a ransom call.

Beverly allegedly became frustrated trying to obtain a ransom and suffocated Jenkins with a plastic bag.

"Those actions are senseless, they're horrific and to take this innocent victim's life just days before his 21st birthday are actions of unfathomable evil, your honor," Camden County assistant prosecutor Kevin Moran said.

Beverly's attorney questioned the credibility of the key witness who she says was aggressively interrogated for nearly six hours.

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The second hearing was for Jalen Carr. He is accused of taking part in a robbery where the stolen phone used to make the ransom call was obtained. He is not charged with murder.

After court, the Camden City Council President spoke about the devastating loss of his hard-working grandson.

"He was a positive young man, his goal was to open his own business," Jenkins said. "He loved to cook, went to work every day. He was not a street kid, he wasn't on the street. He didn't do drugs.

"He was clean. He was positive. He was a great role model for his younger siblings. I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around it – that he's gone. That I'll be burying my grandson on Saturday."

Both men were denied bail.

Jenkins' family says his funeral will be Saturday.