Could the new guy in town be the one who who did it? WebThere was no hard evidence connecting Inman to the murder, which had taken place around 2 a.m. on September 19, 1998. What is your favorite part of The Valdosta Daily Times? Call 1-800-GEORGIA to verify that a website is an official website of the State of Georgia. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure youre on an official state website. Twenty-year-old Devonia Inman, In rural Shelbyville, Ky., a body is found in the river. Later, a juvenile was also identified as a third gunshot victim. It started in the fall of 1998 when single mother Donna Brown was shot almost point-blank in the Taco Bell parking lot. This went against the courts original story that Devonia had murdered Donna Brown alone. Yes, the cops say, he is. (Photo: Georgia Innocence Project) At about 2 a.m. on September 19, 1998, 40-year-old Donna Brown was robbed and fatally shot as she left her job at a Taco Bell restaurant in Adel, Georgia. Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. The killer could only be someone she knew closely, and the case divides the town. You can read bothpress releases on this case on the GBIs website. In the series premiere, the town of Adel is rocked by a brutal robbery homicide and locals quickly point to an outsider as the killer. Inman is an inmate at Hays State Prison, located in Chattooga County. Officers found Pierce in the parking lot of a nearby business with a gunshot wound. Exoneree support services will be offered by the independent nonprofits. When four brutal murders happened in 1998 and 2000, it rocked the entire town. The GBI was requested by APD to assist with the investigation on April 14, 2019. The other inmate was sentenced to life in prison for an unrelated double murder in Adel on Nov. 10, 2000, and remains in Ware State Prison, state prison records show. Tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app. Devonias story of wrongful conviction is the subject of two podcasts: from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and. from The Intercept, and Sundance TV featured the case in the premiere episode of their true-crime series, Georgia Supreme Court Adopts Rule to Hold Prosecutors Accountable for Misconduct. New episodes of True Crime Story: It Couldnt Happen Here air Thursdays at 10/9c on SundanceTV. Then a newspaper carrier came forward to finger Devonia as the murderer, but her testimony changed. Mordons body was transported to the GBI Medical Examiners Office for autopsy. WebEpisode One "Adel, Georgia" Premieres September 9 at 10 p.m. The only witness who did not recant was paid $5,000 for her testimony -- testimony that was directly contradicted by another person who had been with her at the time of the crime. Halloween Kills to release same day in theaters and on streaming, Netflix and Chills creeps back in for Halloween 2021, True Crime Story: It Couldn't Happen Here is a gripping new docuseries, Disappearances with Sarah Turney: True crime podcast debuts, Exclusive clip from True Crime Story: It Couldn't Happen Here, Midnight Mass, Creepshow and 5 horror TV shows coming in September 2021. Our mission is to prevent and correct wrongful convictions while also connecting freed clients to resources to rebuild their lives. State of Georgia government websites and email systems use georgia.gov or ga.gov at the end of the address. ABC 27.1; Bounce TV 27.2; Grit 27.3; Ion Mystery 27.4; Court TV 27.4; Southern hospitality is a must. Penny was taken to the GBI Medical Examiners Office for autopsy. True Crime Network 6.5; MyNetworkTV 6.6; View Station Details. His release comes one month after a superior court judge granted Devonia Inmans petition for habeas corpus relief. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. On Tuesday, December 31, 2019, the Adel Police Department received a 911 call reporting a shooting in the vicinity of 305 N. Adams Street. When police arrived, there was a large crowd fleeing the area. Its still unclear as to why the police believed that Devonia had killed Donna. The juvenile was treated for a minor injury and released. Higher means more crime, U.S. average is 270.6. All three subjects were already in custody on previous charges, the press release states. Welcome back to Murderville, Georgia. There was only one persons DNA on the mask: Hercules Browns.. More than 20 years later, new evidence raises a startling question: Is an innocent man serving life for another man's crime? Her killer took from her about $1,700 of the days receipts Pierce was taken to South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta and later taken to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla. Whitehead was pronounced dead at South Georgia Medical Center. In January 2014, DNA evidence was revealed to have linked a Hercules Brown to the incident. There was a problem saving your notification. Jump to a detailed profile, search site with google or try advanced search. On Wednesday, February 16, 2022, the GBIs Douglas Office received a request from the Adel Police Department to assist with a death investigation. You can learn more here on our blog. It took a really long time to fix, even though it was so clear I wasnt guilty. Based on what we find out, Devonia did have a violent streak, as his girlfriend testified to him being abusive. She determined that Inmans constitutional rights were violated, including by the prosecutions failure to disclose evidence suggesting Hercules Brown committed the crime. In this episode, Hilarie spends time chatting with Devonias family, including his family and his son. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Miss Virginia Gensie Bennett, 90, passed away February 20, 2023 in Adel, Georgia. As Hilarie talks to his family, its devasting to hear how they thought the DNA would mean Devonia would go free from prison. Nonetheless, he has sat in jail for more than two decades now. Brown was the night manager at the Taco Bell there and was shot in the parking lot as she left work after closing up for the night. Episode Two "Sauquoit, New York" Premieres Sept. 16 at 10 p.m. WebCrime in Adel, Georgia. Devonia Inman, 43, was convicted in 2001 for armed robbery and murder of a Taco Bell manager in Adel back in 1998, according to the Georgia Innocence Project. But unfortunately, as of today, Devonia is still behind bars. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Years go by until the police catch the killer, but some in town question if the suspect is even capable of committing this crime. Adel, GA (February 24, 2022) On February 23, 2022, Bryant Kenney, 50, of Adel, was arrested in connection to the death of Donald Penny, age 81. Copyright 2021 WALB. With the Georgia Attorney Generals decision not to appeal, the Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney quickly and successfully moved to dismiss all underlying charges against Devonia, officially exonerating him of the 1998 Taco Bell Murder. Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. First, a quick recap. Kenney was charged with one count of Felony Murder and one count of Aggravated Assault and booked into the Cook County Jail. Web+1 (917) 789-2386 ryan@ryanchristopherjones.com MURDERVILLE, GA For The Intercept; January 2018 When a brutal murder rocks a small town in south Georgia, residents and police are shocked. An adverse inference is a legal inference adverse to the concerned party made from that partys silence or the absence of requested evidence, according to uslegal.com. How you know. Police later found the car abandoned nearby with a distinctive homemade ski mask inside. Inman, who has always professed his innocence, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 1998 murder of Donna Brown, a Taco Bell night manager in Adel. WTXL ABC 27 Tallahassee, FL. The GBI said that a Cook County grand jury indicted Dashay Antwan March, 28, Ra-Shay Marquez March, 23, and Taurian Javon Wetrz, 23, for themurder of Whitehead and aggravated assault on Deshone Pierce. An official website of the State of Georgia. Justice, not victory, is our chief goal. So say GA attorney general defends murder conviction despite justices concerns Outlet: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Author: Bill Rankin Published: 12/19/2019 Read: Here We have more EXCITING NEWS in the Devonia Inman case! While Devonia was in jail awaiting trial, police arrested Brown on an attempted robbery and he had a homemade ski mask in his possession that was very similar to the distinctive homemade ski mask from the Taco Bell Murder. WebMurders in Adel were rare and the neighborhood where Patel was killed was particularly peaceful. Proudly powered by, The key witnesses who implicated Devonia recanted (save one incentivized and directly contradicted witness);, Hercules Brown confessed to people that Brown committed the Taco Bell murder; or, Hercules Browns DNA, and only his DNA, was found on the homemade ski mask recovered from the Taco Bell managers car., In September 2019, the Georgia Supreme Court denied the AGs attempt to appeal. With this nightmare behind him, Inman plans to rejoin his family in California and begin the journey of readjusting and healing. Since the ski mask was never tested, the GIP was able to get a DNA test and guess whos DNA matched? Years after Devonias trial, Georgia Innocence Project secured DNA testing on the homemade ski mask that was found in the Taco Bell victims car. Pierce was taken to South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta and later taken to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla. Whitehead was pronounced dead at South Georgia Medical Center. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. At Devonias death penalty trial in 2001, the State suggested that he wore the ski mask as he shot and killed the victim. Adel, GA (January 1, 2020) On Tuesday, December 31, 2019, the GBIs Douglas Regional Office received a request from the Adel Police Department to assist with a death investigation. Additionally, then-Presiding Justice Nahmias and then-Chief Justice Melton issued extraordinary concurring opinions reminding prosecutors of their power to ensure justice is served and urging the Attorney General himself to personally review Inmans case and determine whether justice was actually served by continuing to oppose Inmans efforts for a new trial. ADEL A new true-crime documentary series hitting TV screens next week starts off with a look at a 20-year-old Episode Six "Rockville/Ellington, Conn." Premieres Oct. 14 at 10 p.m. Following a June 2021 contested hearing, Judge Graham granted Inmans habeas corpus petition. For the double-homicide, law enforcement believed Hercules Brown to be the culprit. In July 2021, a new judge was appointed to review the case and is considering the Hercules Brown evidence. I spent 23 years behind bars for something I didnt do, said Devonia. CH 27 UHF 44.3 miles away. Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. WebAUGUSTA, GA. (WTXL) A man who spent 23 years in prison for a murder at fast-food restaurant in Adel, Georgia was released from prison. "True Crime Story: It Couldn't Happen Here" investigates the distinctive ways in which crime impacts rural communities and their judicial systems. True Crime Story: It Couldnt Happen Here is a compelling look at the way true crime impacts small towns. Later, she even recanted her statement in a letter. He was freed after wrongly being imprisoned for 23 years. But heres where things get even crazier. Yep. The Adel Police Department responded to a 911 call at 500 N. Gordon Avenue, Adel, Cook County, GA, in reference to an unresponsive person. The investigation is active and ongoing. Georgias Attorney General sought to dismiss the habeas and keep Devonia in prison. A Superior Court Judge issued special presentment bench warrants for all three subjects for the following charges: Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, and multiple Felony Street Gang charges. Devonias story of wrongful conviction is the subject of two podcasts: Breakdown: Murder Below the Gnat Line from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Murderville from The Intercept, and Sundance TV featured the case in the premiere episode of their true-crime series, It Couldnt Happen Here.. Too often the heartbreaking events in these towns are largely overlooked because they lack the national media platforms and advocacy resources found in larger cities. Great News! Episode Three "St. Augustine, Fla." Premieres Sept. 23 at 10 p.m. A young woman in St. Augustine, Fla. with everything to live for is found shot to death with the gun belonging to her boyfriend, a deputy sheriff. WebADEL, Ga. (WALB) - Three people have been indicted in the 2019 death of Emmanuel Whitehead, 18, in Adel, according to a press release from the Georgia Bureau of GEORGIA INNOCENCE PROJECT (GIP) is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals who have been convicted of crimes they did not commit in the state of Georgia. Hilarie Burton Morgan and Andrew Dunn It Couldnt Happen Here Season 1 Photo Credit: SundanceTV. In 1998, the manager of an Adel Taco Bell was robbed and shot in the parking lot of the restaurant. When Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Kristina Cook Graham ruled that Devonias habeas could proceed, the AG tried to appeal her decision.. Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Possession of a Firearm. His release comes one month after a superior court judge granted Mr. Inmans petition for habeas corpus relief. How you know. In 2001, Devonia Tyrone Inman was convicted of killing Brown and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Not that of Minute Media or its related brands and not that of Media. Almost point-blank in the parking lot of the State of Georgia government websites often end in.gov could only someone. Not victory, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or related... Inmans petition for habeas corpus petition could the new guy in town be the one who! In jail for more than two decades now of two podcasts: from Atlanta... 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