CHESAPEAKE, Va. – The family of Ashanti Billie traveled from Maryland to Hampton Roads Thursday morning to pick up their daughter’s car.
The Mini Cooper Ashanti Billie was last seen driving into JEB Little Creek on September 18 was found in an Oceanview neighborhood days after Ashanti’s disappeared. While the FBI conducted their investigation, the car remained in their custody.
The U.S. Attorney’s office announced on Wednesday that they have arrested and charged a Navy veteran with the kidnapping of Ashanti. They identified the man as 45-year-old Eric Brian Brown. Charlotte Police also charged Brown with murder.
When asked about Brown, Ashanti’s family described their thoughts about seeing him for the first time.
"I never actually pictured what he looked like beforehand," said Brandy Billie, Ashanti's mother. "To see it it's like looking at a monster or an animal. I don't see a person when I look at him, I seen an animal, just evil."
The Billie's say they hope that authorities file additional charges against Brown like sexual assault or abuse.
"What about human trafficking, we crossed the line we took her from one state to another state. We are talking about sexual assault, we're talking about abuse. I understand that we have these two charges but there are more charges to me," said Ashanti's father, Meltony.
The family also said that they believe Brown could be responsible for other missing person cases in Hampton Roads.
In a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office they say a search of Brown's web history showed that he looked up Norfolk news with terms like "police looking for man," “Norfolk police looking for man in connection with homicide,” “Amber Alert Sept 2017,” “missing woman and baby,” and “missing woman and man.”
The Billie family says they wonder if Brown is also responsible for the missing mother and daughter out of Hampton, Kier and Chloe Johnson.
"I go back to the young lady and her daughter missing as well, she's about the same size as Ashanti. Was she preyed upon as well because of her size?" said Brandy.
The Brandy family returned to Maryland after collecting Ashanti's car. The parents say they plan on keeping car as a reminder of their daughter.
"For me, it is really emotional because that's the car that she picked out, her dream and she's not here to enjoy it. We just bought the car in July," said Brandy. "It's just not the same car without her in it. It fits her personality so to me it's just a car right now because without her in it it's nothing to me."
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