An overturned life sentence and a hefty seven-figure payout after more than two decades in prison paved the way for a brand new murder conviction for one Philadelphia man.

Thursday in the City of Brotherly Love, 50-year-old Shaurn Thomas pled guilty to six crimes that included the murder of 38-year-old Akeem Edwards. The slaying, which had been prompted by a debt of $1,200, came only after Thomas had been awarded over $4.1 million by city officials in a settlement regarding his 24 years spent in prison for a 1990 murder.

As detailed by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Thomas had been convicted of second-degree murder for the 1990 death of 78-year-old Domingo Martinez.

Through the efforts of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, he was released in 2017 when the judge vacated the conviction due to issues with the police investigation that included failure to verify Thomas’ alleged alibi, leading to a considerable settlement as the district attorney declined to retry the case.

The overturned conviction led Thomas to a network of Philadelphians with similar circumstances which led to his connecting with Ketra Veasy, beginning an on-and-off relationship that spanned six years.

Edwards, a childhood friend of Veasy, came into the picture when, according to prosecutors, Thomas had asked her to connect him to the man in order to facilitate the sale of some cocaine.

Jan. 3, 2023, the day of the murder, the couple had gone looking for Edwards in his neighborhood as he had yet to turn over the $1,200 expected for the drugs.

Veasy’s testimony detailed how Thomas had gotten out of the car to speak with Edwards and, after she heard gunfire, he had returned to the car and was said to have told her, “He’s hit, he’s down, just drive.”

“He said it’s his third homicide and he said he can’t go back to jail,” she said and told the court he’d gone on to remind her that he knew where her family lived, including her children, and to “keep my mouth quiet or else.”

Veasy and Thomas were arrested in March after a federal informant told investigators Thomas had discussed the murder with him, prompting a search of the man’s home where they located five guns and a hoodie that matched the description of their suspect’s attire.

During her time behind bars, she received intimidating letters from Thomas, including one with the word “friends” crossed out that read, “There’s no quick way through tough times like this. It takes however long it takes. But there are friends to lean on, laughter to help us forget for a while, and sometimes a little grace shows up where we least expect it.”

Veasy agreed to testify for a reduction in charges before pleading guilty to aggravated assault and conspiracy while Thomas pled guilty to six charges including third-degree murder, conspiracy, and illegal gun possession with sentencing slated for February.

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Kevin Haggerty

Staff Writer

Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.

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