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Judge rules man charged with Ashanti Billie’s death can be involuntarily medicated

Posted at 6:19 AM, Jun 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-21 20:25:32-04

NORFOLK, Va. - A medication hearing happened Thursday morning for the man accused of abducting and killing a Virginia Beach college student.

Eric Brown (Virginia Beach Jail)

Eric Brown is facing murder charges for the death of 19-year-old Ashanti Billie.

A judge ruled Thursday that Brown can be involuntarily medicated. The judge decided to deny the defense's request to overturn the decision that he could be involuntarily medicated.

Court documents said Brown was sent to a federal medical center where staff had to restore him to competency after he was found incompetent to stand trial earlier this month.

Billie disappeared in September of last year. She didn't show up to work at the Blimpie sandwich shop on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek.

Ashanti Billie

Her body was found 11 days later outside a church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Friday, Governor Ralph Northam will hold a ceremonial bill signing of the Virginia Critically Missing Adult Alert Program, also known as the Ashanti Alert.

It fills a need for an alert when adults go missing, much like an AMBER Alert for adults.

Brown faces charges of kidnapping and murder for Billie’s death.

Full coverage: Ashanti Billie disappearance