Kenney was charged with murder and aggravated assault. Devonia Inman, a Black teen with a history of run-ins with the police, was almost immediately targeted for the murder. 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. 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. All three subjects were already in custody on previous charges, the press release states. Later, a juvenile was also identified as a third gunshot victim. A habeas corpus petition was filed on behalf of Inman in 2018; claiming he was innocent and his constitutional right of wrongful imprisonment were violated. WebHe was freed after wrongly being imprisoned for 23 years. No physical evidence linked Devonia to Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI Douglas Office at (912) 389-4103 or the Adel Police Department at (229) 896-2224. Case solved. The court finds that prosecutors withheld critical evidence in the case of Devonia Inman that was featured in AJCs Breakdown podcast. State of Georgia government websites and email systems use georgia.gov or ga.gov at the end of the address. What should WTXL be covering in this community. You can read bothpress releases on this case on the GBIs website. 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. But the judge at Devonias trial refused to allow the jury to hear the testimony about Hercules, and the prosecutor asserted there was not one scintilla of evidence linking Hercules to the crime. Years go by until the police catch the killer, but some in town question if the suspect is even capable of committing this crime. Exoneree support services will be offered by the independent nonprofits. The residents never had a chance to recover from the impact of that carnage. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Someone murdered Caroll Bennet, a beloved local grocer, and his employee Rebecca Browning. The closest similar sized city with FBI crime data is the city of , . 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. Great News! ADEL A new true-crime documentary series hitting TV screens next week starts off with a look at a 20-year-old Officers found Pierce in the parking lot of a nearby business with a gunshot wound. ', Death toll keeps rising in Greece's deadliest train crash, See how your Pennsylvania county ranks on voter friendliness with this interactive scorecard, Hillsborough school board member "on the fence" as vote on boundaries looms, Girls basketball playoffs: Wildcats, Warriors move to region finals. Devonia was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the 1998 murder of Donna Brown in Adel, Georgia. The city of Adel / edl / is the county seat of Cook County, Georgia, United States, [4] located fifty-two miles (84 km) southeast of Albany. Tavares Askew, 19, was charged with two counts of felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault and is being held in the Baldwin County Jail. Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. 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. State of Georgia government websites and email systems use georgia.gov or ga.gov at the end of the address. Each violation, according to Judge Graham, demonstrates the fundamental unfairness of Mr. Inmans trial, undermines the Courts confidence in the outcome of the trial and related conviction, and justifies granting habeas corpus relief., With this nightmare behind him, Inman plans to rejoin his family in California and begin the journey of readjusting and healing. Unfortunately for Devonia, he had almost all of the odds stacked against him. The killer stole $1,700 and the victims car. Unlike Donnas case, Shaileshs murderer was never found, and the case is still marked as unsolved. Wilson and Pickett were already in custody in the Lowndes County jail on unrelated charges. WebThere was no hard evidence connecting Inman to the murder, which had taken place around 2 a.m. on September 19, 1998. A Chattooga County Superior Court Judge has granted Devonia Inmans habeas Why is it so hard to right a wrong in Georgia? In the early morning hours of September 19th, 1998 the manager of a Taco Bell in Adel, GA was robbed and murdered in the restaurant parking lot. High 83F. Virginia attended Cross Roads School and graduated from Sparks Adel High School. But then another murder happens. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. In 1998, the manager of an Adel Taco Bell was robbed and shot in the parking lot of the restaurant. I spent 23 years behind bars for something I didnt do, said Devonia. Jump to a detailed profile, search site with google or try advanced search. Background based on a previous GBI release: On Sunday, April 14, 2019, just before 1 a.m., the Adel Police Department (APD) responded to a shots fired call at The Stage in the 100 block of West First Street. She determined that Inmans constitutional rights were violated, including by the prosecutions failure to disclose evidence suggesting Hercules Brown committed the crime. Some parts 2023 Advameg, Inc. Crime rate in Adel, Georgia (GA): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map. Her killer took from her about $1,700 of the days receipts His release comes one month after a superior court judge granted Mr. Inmans petition for habeas corpus relief. 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. "True Crime Story: It Couldn't Happen Here" investigates the distinctive ways in which crime impacts rural communities and their judicial systems. It took a really long time to fix, even though it was so clear I wasnt guilty. On Tuesday, December 31, 2019, the Adel Police Department received a 911 call reporting a shooting in the vicinity of 305 N. Adams Street. Penny was taken to the GBI Medical Examiners Office for autopsy. True Crime Story: It Couldnt Happen Here is a compelling look at the way true crime impacts small towns. Law enforcement investigating possible shooting on I-10 near north Monroe, Remains recently found in St. Marks Refuge confirmed to be missing Tallahassee father, One person injured in Lake Bradford Road shooting, Collision closes lanes on North Monroe Street, Parents and teachers concerned about state of Gadsden County school district, publicfile@live5news.com - (843) 402-5555. Background based on a previous GBI release: On Sunday, April 14, 2019, just before 1 a.m., the Adel Police Department (APD) responded to a shots fired call at The Stage in the 100 block of West First Street. 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. 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! 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. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. 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.. Violent offenses tracked included rape, "I spent 23 years behind bars for something I didnt do, Inman said in a statement provided by the Georgia Innocence Project. She was almost immediately accosted and killed. But there was no real evidence linking him to Donnas murder. Call 1-800-GEORGIA to verify that a website is an official website of the State of Georgia. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. ADEL, Ga. (WCTV) A man is facing multiple charges after his wife's body was discovered in Cook County, the same day she was reported missing by a family member. Without one, exonerees like Devonia Inman are left on their own, with virtually no support from the State, to rebuild their lives. On Saturday, December 19, 2020, the GBIs Douglas Regional Office was requested by the Adel Police Department to assist with a death investigation. 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. Exoneree support services will be offered by the independent nonprofits After Innocence and the Northern California Innocence Project. She determined that Inmans constitutional rights were violated, including by the prosecutions failure to disclose evidence suggesting Hercules Brown committed the crime. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Adel Police Department (229) 896-2224 or the GBI Region 4 office (912) 389-4103. WebOn April 8, 2000, at approximately 1:20 p.m., Shailesh Patel was found murdered at his brother-in-law's residence located on North Gordon Avenue, Adel, Cook County, Results of DNA testing performed on the perpetrator's mask. Later, she even recanted her statement in a letter. WebAt approximately 4:00 p.m., the Adel Police Department responded to 1113 Birch Street, Adel, Cook County, GA, in reference to a 911 call of a body found in a wooded area. In many rural areas, the local law enforcement is not accustomed to handling violent crime and homicide because they simply dont occur as often. The only evidence against Devonia came from witness testimony. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. As Hilarie talks to his family, its devasting to hear how they thought the DNA would mean Devonia would go free from prison. WebIn the early morning hours of September 19th, 1998 the manager of a Taco Bell in Adel, GA was robbed and murdered in the restaurant parking lot. Payne and Robinsons final cause of death will be determined during the autopsy by the GBI Medical Examiners Office in Macon. GAPS - Georgia Applicant Processing Service, Georgia Criminal History Record Restrictions, Obtaining Criminal History Record Information, The investigation is active and ongoing. 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 the murder of Whitehead and aggravated assault on Deshone Pierce. A wrong in Georgia had a chance to recover from the impact that. 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