A judge said he’s guilty, but a man standing trial for murder decided instead to make a run for freedom.
U.S. Marshals, with assistance by the Fulton County Sheriffs Office, arrested on March 13, 2013, then 22-year-old Shane Demetrice Woods, the second of two men suspected of murder, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.
Woods had been on the run for six weeks, following the Jan. 28, 2013, shooting death of Zachary Rose.
Woods’ accomplice, Jerad Terel Owens, 22, was arrested Jan. 30, 2013, by Sandy Springs police.
Tyrell Adams arranged a drug deal between Rose and Owens to sell approximately $3,750 worth of crystalline methamphetamine (also known as “Molly”) at Adam’s Alpharetta residence, Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. wrote in an emailed statement.
Owens arrived with Woods and both forced their way into Adams’ residence with guns drawn, Howard said. Rose and Owens engaged in a struggle over the gun and Woods pointed a gun at Adams who laid on the ground.
Owens shot Rose once in the abdomen and fled the location, Howard said.
Rose was transported to North Fulton Hospital, but pronounced dead upon arrival.
On the second day of the trial, Wednesday, evidence emerged that Woods tampered with a witnesses, Howard said, so the prosecution asked Superior Court Judge Henry M. Newkirk to revoke Woods’ bond.
Instead of waiting on a possible bond revocation or guilty verdict, Woods fled and Newkirk issued a bench warrant for Woods’ arrest.
Co-defendant Owens pleaded guilty on Thursday to voluntary manslaughter and Newkirk sentenced him to 20 years to serve. Woods did not return for the remaining three days of trial and is still on the loose.
Woods was convicted Monday of two counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Newkirk sentenced Woods to life plus five years.
“I hope he will not put any law enforcement officer in danger by pursuing efforts to evade arrest,” Howard said when he heard the judge’s verdict. “I hope he will turn himself in.”
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