Shaurn Thomas, who was the poster child for those wrongly imprisoned after serving 24 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, was now facing life again behind bars. Once a multimillionaire thanks to a $4.1 million settlement following his exoneration, Thomas pleaded guilty to the 2023 murder of Akeem Edwards over a $1,200 drug debt-a shocking turn of events with many wondering how such a tragic downfall could occur.
Thomas first came into the line of sight of the justice system in 1992, when he was wrongly convicted for the murder of Domingo Martinez, a North Philadelphia businessman back in 1990. Maintaining his innocence, Thomas got a life sentence based on questionable evidence, coerced witness testimony, and alibi statements withheld. His case, under the spotlight through the efforts of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, went as far as getting Thomas exonerated in 2017 after 24 grueling years.
After his release, Thomas received $4.1 million as a settlement from the city of Philadelphia in reparation for his wrongful incarceration. Faced with a chance at complete freedom and now substantial wealth, he had seemingly been perfectly positioned to restart his life with a voice against justice system reform.
On January 3, 2023, Thomas’s life began to take a turn for the worse. He shot and killed 38-year-old Akeem Edwards, who owed him $1,200 for drugs. Edwards had taken cocaine from Thomas to sell but never paid. Thomas tracked him down and shot him in a Philadelphia neighborhood.
Key evidence against Thomas included cellphone records that placed him at the scene and testimony from his girlfriend, Ketra Veasy, who was also implicated in the crime. Veasy had introduced Thomas to Edwards. She granted immunity to all her dealing with investigators in 1979 and ultimately pleaded to less severe charges of assault and conspiracy.
Prosecutors also said Thomas had confessed to Veasy that he’d been involved in at least three other homicides, for none of which he has been charged.
Thomas pleaded to third-degree murder, conspiracy, and illegal gun possession, during his sentencing Dec 5, 2024. Common Pleas Court Judge Roxanne Covington conceded she could not make much sense of how such a multimillionaire as Thomas would take somebody’s life for the kind of money that involved.
“Is that a correct statement of facts?” Judge Covington had asked after the prosecution completed its outline of the offense. “Yes, your honor,” Thomas replied, who was admitting to the coldest of cold-blooded killings.
Family members of the victim spoke emotionally in court. Sister of Akeem Edwards Tyeisha Marshall told judges, “There’s not enough time for them to possibly give him.” Sharondah King- mother of Edwards’ child blamed Veasy for all that happened: “If it wasn’t for her this would’ve never happened.
