A 45-year-old Clayton County woman was found guilty of multiple murder charges late Tuesday afternoon in connection with a fire set at a Riverdale motel where five members of a family, including two children, died.
Sheree Murphy was found guilty of felony murder, arson and aggravated battery in the June 2007 fire at the Budget Inn Motel in Riverdale. A jury found her not guilty of malice murder.
Murphy was living at the extended stay-facility at the time of the June 2007 fire.
Killed in the fire were Fred Colston, 26, his girlfriend, Shikita Jones, 32, and two of her three children: Devon Butler, 11 and Desha Butler, 10. Jones' oldest child, Shae'von Butler, now a high school student, survived the fire and testified late last week at the trial.
Jones' uncle Melvin Jones, who was visiting the family to attend Shae'von's middle school graduation and help the family move into their new home, also was killed in the fire. Ten other people were injured in the blaze, including seven firefighters.
Murphy got angry at Colston because he wouldn't "front" her drugs, Executive Chief Assistant District Attorney Jason Green said Tuesday. She set fire to discarded mattresses underneath the window of the family's motel room.
Just before the fire started, Green said, Murphy told another woman she was going to "burn that (expletive) up," referring to Colston. Six hours later, the motel was engulfed in flames.
"We argued to the jury that Murphy knew in fact that children were living in the room with Colston," Green said.
The conviction means Murphy will spend the rest of her life in prison.
Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty against Murphy, but Clayton County District Attorney Tracy Graham Lawson withdrew the motion. Instead, a deal was struck where Murphy's attorneys opted for the possibility of life without parole, according to Green, one of the prosecutors in the case.
Sentencing likely will come in January, at which time Judge Geronda Carter could decide to hand down five consecutive life sentences.
"We're extremely satisfied with the verdict and feel like justice was served," Green said. "This has been a long time coming for the family. "
Tuesday's verdict marked the end of a long and contentious legal battle that lasted more than four years and included more than 125 motions from Murphy's six attorneys. The trial began Dec. 5. The verdict came down shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday.
"Ultimately, the jury saw through it, and we believe saw the truth and justice was served," Green said.
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