Henry man could get death for killing daughter

Rodney Reaves of Stockbridge faces a possible death sentence after his conviction Wednesday in the beating death of his 11-year-old daughter, Joella Reaves, more than five years ago.

The sentencing phase of Reaves’ trial gets under way Thursday in Henry County Superior Court, with district attorney Tommy Floyd of the Flint Judicial Circuit seeking a death penalty. Other sentencing possibilities for Reaves include life sentences, one with and one without parole.

A Henry County jury deliberated for about 10 hours over two days before finding Reaves guilty of felony murder, aggravated battery and two counts of cruelty to children.

Reaves was acquitted of a felony county of malice murder.

He was charged with killing his daughter over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2003.

He showed no outward emotion as the 12 jurors and two alternates made their way back into the courtroom, all without looking directly at the defendant. But a distraught Reaves soon broke into tears after hearing the verdict, burying his face in his quivering hands. His mother and brother sat on courtroom benches just a few feet behind him.

Both Floyd and Gary Bowman, Reaves’ public defender, declined comment following the decision.

But Joella Reaves’ uncle lauded the verdict.

“It’s been a long time coming for our family,” an emotional Jeffery Carter said by phone from Detroit. “I think justice was served, and it was a long time coming. This guy was a monster.”

Reaves has maintained his innocence, claiming he was more than 400 miles away when his daughter died from a number of injuries to her head and feet. A defense forensic pathologist testified last week that Joella death, from a single blow to the head, came as Rodney Reaves was en route to Virginia.

However, other medical experts contended the girl died slowly as a result of severe beatings that lasted several days.

Joella was found dead in her bed on Dec. 1, 2003.

Reaves told police that day his daughter was being punished for stealing from her stepmother and half-brother.

Charlott Reaves, Rodney Reaves’ wife, has also been charged with murder for her role and faces a death penalty trial in April. Testimony indicated she ordered the girl to write the sentence “I am a thief and a liar, I am good for nothing and I stink.”

Rodney Reaves had admitted tying the girl’s hands and ankles with speaker wire and keeping her locked in a garage for days.

Bowman has said it was his client’s wife, however, who killed the child.

Carter said Rodney Reaves deserved death for the heinous crime.

“If it gets to that point,” he said, “I’ll be there to see it.”