A Philadelphia man who spent 24 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit—and later received a $4.1 million settlement—is now facing a return to jail.
Shaun Thomas, who was exonerated in 2017 for a wrongful conviction, pleaded guilty on Thursday to the January 3, 2023, murder of 38-year-old Akeem Edwards. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the crime was linked to a $1,200 drug debt. Thomas had previously served a life sentence for the 1990 killing of a Puerto Rican businessman, a conviction overturned after evidence proved his innocence.
The Case Of Wrongful Conviction
However, Thomas had consistently proclaimed his innocence, claiming he was incarcerated in a juvenile jail at the time of 78-year-old Domingo Martinez’s murder in November 1990, as supported by the Innocence Project, which played a crucial role in his dismissal in 2017.
The Innocence Project’s legal team uncovered evidence that detectives knew of Thomas’s potential alibi. They had access to 36 pages of undisclosed witness statements implicating other suspects but chose to focus on Thomas based solely on the testimonies of two alleged accomplices.
Over time, the stories of these co-conspirators began to unravel. One eventually recanted his testimony, alleging that police officers coerced him into providing false information through physical assault and fabricated narratives.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office ultimately decided against a retrial despite prosecutors expressing doubts about Thomas’s innocence. Following his release, Thomas expressed a lack of hatred towards the police and announced his intention to “move on forward,” as reported by ABC News.
Three years later, Thomas received a $4.15 million settlement from the city. He had also become part of a support network for other exonerated Philadelphians, where he met Ketra Veasy, whose brother Willie had his murder conviction overturned in 2019.
The Circumstances Leading To The Murder
After dating intermittently for six years, Thomas asked Veasy last fall to connect him with her childhood friend, Akeem Edwards, to discuss a potential cocaine deal, according to prosecutors.
Thomas then provided Edwards with a sandwich bag containing drugs and instructed him to return with $1,200 from the sales. However, as of January 3, 2023, Edwards had failed to pay.
On January 3, 2023, Thomas and Veasy met at her Delaware home and embarked on a trip to Philadelphia for errands. Before returning, Thomas suggested they drive through Edwards’s neighbourhood to see if they could locate him.
When they finally spotted Edwards, Thomas exited the vehicle. Veasy later testified that she was unaware Thomas was armed that day and had intention of harming Edwards. Moments later, she heard gunshots and saw Thomas returning to the car, holstering a gun.
He urged her to drive away, stating, “He’s hit, he’s down, just drive,” and Veasy complied with his instructions. While driving back to Delaware, Thomas made a shocking confession to Veasy. He admitted that this was his third homicide and expressed his fear of returning to prison.
Veasy also claimed that Thomas threatened her, saying he knew where her children and family lived and warned her to “keep her mouth quiet or else.” However, a few weeks later, a federal informant revealed to homicide detectives that Thomas had discussed the murder with him and implicated Veasy as his accomplice.
The Short-Lived Joy Of Exoneration
The informant also alleged that Thomas had ordered a hit on Veasy, fearing she might cooperate with the investigation, as reported by the Inquirer. This led to a search of Thomas’s home, where police discovered five guns and a Gap hoodie matching the description of the one worn by Edwards’s killer.
Philadelphia police continued their investigation and, aided by cell phone data placing Veasy and Thomas at the scene, arrested them both in March on murder charges.
While incarcerated, Thomas sent Veasy intimidating letters, prompting her to cooperate with the police and testify against him in exchange for a plea deal with reduced charges. Veasy ultimately pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and conspiracy charges last year and is currently awaiting sentencing.
On Thursday, Thomas pleaded guilty to six charges, including third-degree murder, conspiracy, and illegal gun possession. He did not dispute any of the accusations presented in court. His sentencing is scheduled for February.
