Philadelphia Man Exonerated After 24 Years Sent Back to Prison for Third Murder

Shaurn Thomas, 50, a Philadelphia man who previously spent 24 years in prison before being exonerated, is heading back to prison after pleading guilty to a fatal shooting. Thomas admitted to killing Akeem Edwards, 38, during a dispute over money and drugs in January 2023, according to reports from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Edwards was fatally shot on the 3500 block of Germantown Avenue in North Philadelphia on January 3, 2023. Thomas, who was arrested shortly after the incident, pleaded guilty to charges of third-degree murder, conspiracy, and illegal possession of a firearm.

During the plea hearing, Common Pleas Court Judge Roxanne Covington expressed disbelief upon learning of Thomas’ past. "Are these facts true?" she asked.

"Yes, Your Honor," Thomas replied.

Thomas’ Complex History

Thomas faces the possibility of life imprisonment for the second time. He was first convicted in 1994 for the murder of Domingo Martinez, a businessman who was robbed and shot while delivering $25,000 to one of his check-cashing stores in 1990.

In 2017, the Pennsylvania Innocence Project helped overturn Thomas’ life sentence. Previously undisclosed evidence, including 36 pages of witness statements implicating other suspects, led to his exoneration and the expungement of his record. Thomas later received a $4.1 million settlement from the city of Philadelphia.

Since his release, Thomas had been a public advocate for wrongful conviction reform. "I ain’t seen none of my 20s, I ain’t seen none of my 30s," he said in a 2019 interview. "But I’m not letting it break my spirit."

Details of the 2023 Murder

Thomas was accused of shooting Edwards after the latter failed to pay him $1,200 for a baggie of cocaine. A female witness, who was present during the incident, revealed in court that Thomas became frantic after the killing and made threatening remarks about keeping quiet.

Following his guilty plea, Edwards’ family expressed frustration over the tragedy. "There’s not enough time for them to possibly give him," one family member told the Inquirer.

Thomas is scheduled for sentencing in February 2024 and could face life imprisonment for the second time in his life.