UPDATE: This article and its headline has been edited.
A Philadelphia man, once exonerated after serving 24 years for a wrongful murder conviction, has found himself back behind bars. Shaurn Thomas, 50, who received a £3.25 million ($4.1 million) settlement for his prior injustice, pleaded guilty last Thursday to the murder of 38-year-old Akeem Edwards, over a £940 ($1,200) drug debt.
Exoneration After a Devastating Wrongful Conviction
In 1994, Thomas was sentenced to life without parole for the 1990 murder of Domingo Martinez, a Puerto Rican businessman. The case against him relied heavily on the testimonies of two alleged accomplices, both of whom later recanted. According to the Innocence Project, which played a pivotal role in Thomas's 2017 exoneration, police had ignored evidence of his alibi and suppressed 36 pages of witness statements implicating other suspects.
Thomas had maintained that he was in juvenile detention on the day of Martinez's murder, supported by court records and eyewitness accounts. Despite these discrepancies, he spent nearly a quarter-century in prison before his conviction was overturned.
Upon his release, Thomas said he held "no animosity" towards law enforcement and looked forward to rebuilding his life. Three years later, he was awarded a £3.25 million settlement from the city of Philadelphia for the injustice he endured.
A Return to Crime
Despite his newfound freedom and wealth, Thomas became entangled in criminal activities once again. He became romantically involved with Ketra Veasy, whose brother had also been exonerated for a wrongful conviction. The two dated intermittently for six years. Last autumn, Thomas asked Veasy to connect him with her childhood friend, Akeem Edwards, for a drug deal.
Thomas reportedly gave Edwards a bag of cocaine, instructing him to return with £940 ($1,200) in proceeds. When Edwards failed to pay, tensions escalated. On 3 January 2023, Thomas and Veasy drove to Philadelphia, where they encountered Edwards. According to reports from the Daily Mail, Thomas got out of the car to confront Edwards, and moments later, gunshots rang out.
Veasy said she had no knowledge Thomas was armed or that he intended to harm Edwards. She described her shock when Thomas returned to the car, holstered his gun, and instructed her to "just drive." During their journey back to Delaware, Thomas reportedly admitted to Veasy that Edwards's killing was his third homicide, expressing fear of returning to prison. He also threatened her, warning her to remain silent, as he knew where her family lived.
The Investigation and Arrest
A federal informant later came forward, revealing details of Edwards's murder and implicating both Thomas and Veasy. The informant also alleged that Thomas had ordered a hit on Veasy, fearing she might cooperate with authorities. This prompted police to search Thomas's home, where they discovered five firearms and clothing resembling that worn by the perpetrator.
Investigators obtained cell phone records placing Thomas and Veasy at the scene of the murder. Both were arrested in March and charged with Edwards's killing. Veasy ultimately agreed to testify against Thomas in exchange for reduced charges, pleading guilty to aggravated assault and conspiracy. She is awaiting sentencing, as noted in the Daily Mail report.
On Thursday, Thomas pleaded guilty to six charges, including third-degree murder, conspiracy, and illegal gun possession. He did not contest the evidence presented in court. His sentencing is scheduled for February, where he faces the likelihood of decades in prison.
