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A man who was given a life sentence and served 24 years in prison for a murder for which he was exonerated is headed back to prison again after pleading guilty to a different murder. Shaurn Thomas, 50, of Philadelphia, who was given a $4.1 million settlement and released from prison, after admitting he shot and killed a different man in 2023.
Thomas, whose 1992 murder conviction was overturned in 2017, killed Akeem Edwards, 38, over a $1,200 drug debt on Jan. 3, 2023. Last week, he pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, conspiracy and illegal gun possession.
He had been sent to prison for the shooting death of a North Philadelphia businessman in a 1990 robbery. However, in 2017, his conviction was vacated when, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, “documents emerged showing that detectives knew Thomas had a potential alibi but did not try to verify it.”
Thomas was convicted partially based on statements made by two alleged co-conspirators who later recanted their testimony. One of them also would later claim detectives fed him a false story and assaulted him until he repeated it.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office did not attempt to retry Shaurn Thomas despite reportedly still believing he was guilty.
“I ain’t seen none of my 20s, I ain’t seen none of my 30s,” Shaurn Thomas said in a 2019 video for Freethink after being released with the help of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. “So, it was frustrating, but I said I’m going to take that negative energy and turn it positive. They ain’t going to never take this smile. Even after 24 years I ain’t going to let that happen.”
Thomas reportedly killed Edwards after he gave him a sandwich baggie filled with cocaine and told him to return with $1,200. He never paid and Thomas shot him.
After the shooting, Thomas’ girlfriend Ketra Veasy said he told her it was “his third homicide and he said he can’t go back to jail.” She also said he told her to “keep my mouth quiet or else.” She ended up being charged with murder as well when police caught up with Thomas.
Veasy’s brother, Willie, also had a murder case overturned in 2019, which is how she and Thomas met.
An informant told police that Thomas had put out a hit on her because he thought she might talk to the cops. She did, after her arrest, and pleaded guilty last year to aggravated assault and conspiracy.
After Assistant District Attorney Cydney Pope detailed the crimes in court on Thursday, Common Pleas Court Judge Roxanne Covington fell silent. She appeared nearly stunned by what she heard before slowly turning back to Thomas.
“Are these facts true?” she asked him.
“Yes, Your Honor,” he said.
Thomas ended up pleading guilty to six crimes, including third-degree murder, conspiracy, and illegal gun possession. He won’t be getting out of prison again this time.