Witness Statement of Darian Ellis: Ace Wayfair Murder Case

Vocabulary flashcards detailing key individuals, entities, locations, financial arrangements, and legal proceedings outlined in the witness statement of Darian Ellis.

Darian Ellis

A refined artist trained in printmaking and textiles who worked as a bartender at Shucker's Pub & Grill and was hired by Blake Wayfair to murder Ace Wayfair.

Blake Wayfair

The manager at Shucker's Pub & Grill studying for the Bar exam who conspired with Darian Ellis and agreed to pay $\$150,000$ to have Ace Wayfair killed.

Ace Wayfair

Blake's brother and the murder victim who had stolen the estate executor role from Blake, left no tip on an $\$8,000$ bar tab, and demeaned Emerson.

Emerson

Darian Ellis's spouse and a high-profile criminal defense attorney who beat Ace Wayfair for high school valedictorian, attended Stanford, and mysteriously disappeared in November $2014$.

Phoenix

The daughter of Darian Ellis and Emerson who incurred $\$25,000$ in uninsured medical bills after an emergency appendicitis surgery.

Shucker's Pub & Grill

A longtime establishment in Gaston owned by the Wayfair family where Darian Ellis worked for $2$ years and where the murder weapon was stored beneath the bar.

Gaston, Mississippi

The town where Darian Ellis moved in January $2015$ to be near Emerson's family, described by Darian as an unsophisticated, 'paint by numbers' community.

Florida College of the Arts

The institution from which Darian Ellis obtained an art degree specializing in innovative printmaking and textile work.

"Gaston's favorite affirmative action child"

The demeaning phrase Ace Wayfair used to refer to Emerson after Emerson won high school valedictorian over Ace and earned admission to Stanford.

Charlie Wayfair

A Wayfair sibling whose work shifts at Shucker's were described by Darian Ellis as loosely defined, consisting mainly of hanging out, drinking, and talking with friends.

Rosetta Wayfair's Wake

A crowded event held at Shucker's on St. Patrick's Day in $2017$ where Ace and Blake engaged in a shouting match over the executor role of the estate.

Le'Opulent Works d'Art

The fake shell company created by Blake Wayfair and a friend to make murder-for-hire payments appear to be legitimate sales of Darian Ellis's artwork.

Coinbase

The cryptocurrency exchange platform used by Blake to deposit bitcoin into the Le'Opulent account, which Darian converted to cash and transferred to a personal bank account.

Ace Wayfair Murder Scheme

A plot arranged by Blake and Darian involving an unlocked downstairs window, a sedative, an attempted staged robbery at approximately $11:00\,\text{PM}$, and a payout of $\$150,000$ divided into $12$ installments.

Officer Ross

A responding police officer who suspected foul play, questioned Darian about the wake bar tab, and noted bruises on Darian's arms that Darian blamed on moving beer kegs.

Detective Flowers

The lead investigator who initially accepted the staged robbery theory, but later confronted Darian with DNA gun evidence, bitcoin records, and concurrent interrogation tactics.

Joie Chapman

A witness to the argument at Rosetta's wake who later produced a podcast about Ace's murder and conducted an interview that caused Darian Ellis to slip up.

Second-Degree Murder Plea Deal

The reduced criminal charge granted to Darian Ellis in exchange for fully confessing and providing evidence regarding Blake Wayfair's role in Ace's murder.