One of the men accused in the killing of a student body president at University of North Carolina's Chapel Hill campus pleaded guilty to federal crimes Monday, avoiding a death penalty case prosecutors were pursuing.
Demario Atwater, 23, pleaded guilty to several charges, including carjacking resulting in death and kidnapping. In response, prosecutors agreed to drop their plan to pursue the death penalty.
Eve Carson, 22, of Athens, Georgia, was found shot to death in the middle of a Chapel Hill street in March 2008. She had been shot five times, including once in the head with a 12-gauge shotgun.
Authorities said Atwater and Laurence Lovette kidnapped Carson from outside her Chapel Hill home, stole her sport utility vehicle and took her to several ATMs, eventually withdrawing $1,400.
Atwater is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23, and he still faces charges in state court along with Lovette, who was only 17 at the time of the killing and is ineligible for the death penalty.
Carson's parents released the following statement: "While we deplore the evil and negligence that led to Eve's death, we agree with the U.S. Attorney's decision to accept the plea agreement. We are very grateful for the dedication and hard work that have gone into the investigation and prosecution of this crime."
"Eve Carson's murder was a senseless, random act of violence. Today's plea spares Ms. Carson's family and friends the uncertainty and pain of a drawn-out trial and endless appeals," said U. S. Attorney Anna Mills Wagoner. "We hope this resolution will help the Carson family put this horrendous act behind them, as best they can, and move on with their lives."
Police: Father Of Four Killed During Apparent Robbery
Atlanta police are looking for two suspects in connection with the killing of a man in northeast Atlanta, according to WSB-TV, Atlanta.
Police said 29-year-old Marcus Baker, a father of four, was shot around 12:40 a.m. Monday at the corner of Wabash Avenue Northeast and Boulevard Northeast in the city's Old Fourth Ward.
Police said it appeared to have started as a robbery. Baker was struck by a bullet at least once in the chest, police said. He was taken to Atlanta Medical Center where he later died from his wounds, police said.
The alleged suspects were last seen driving a gold car, police said. Baker's children were in an apartment across the street from the shooting scene, but were asleep and did not see anything, said Elliot.
Baker's family said they are struggling with how to tell his children about his death.
Police Arrest Knife-Wielding Man At Georgia College
Officials at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville have arrested a knife-wielding man who caused a residence hall lockdown Tuesday afternoon.
Spokeswoman Judy Bailey did not identify the man but said he was a student. Authorities got a report of a man carrying what was believed to be a knife at Parkhurst Residence Hall around 4:40 p.m.
She says the school placed the building on lock down while authorities searched room to room. They eventually found the man in a nearby student lounge. He tells authorities he threw the knife near a tennis court and Bailey said they're trying to find it.
About 300 men and women live in the hall. There were no early reports of injuries and Bailey said it's unclear who first spotted the man.
7-Year-Old Girl Injured In Shooting
A 7-year-old girl was shot while waiting in a car at an apartment complex in Southwest Atlanta, police said. The shooting happened at about 9 p.m. on Landrum Drive.
Police said a passenger in a second car started firing shots and one bullet struck the girl in the arm. Her injuries were not life-threatening, according to police. The incident remains under investigation.
Metro Atlanta Counties Kill Pets By Thousands
The number of cats and dogs put down at metro Atlanta animal shelters is rising amid sharp budget cuts.
The number of cats and dogs destroyed at animal shelters in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties has jumped 24 percent in the last two years. Those five core metro Atlanta counties killed almost 30,000 cats during that time.
Gwinnett County led the metro area with 7,588 dogs and cats put down in 2009. County officials say almost half of the animals were destroyed because the shelter could not house them.
Animal activists said adoption programs will never solve the problem. They advise animal owners to spay and neuter the animals to help control the population.
Two Men Accused In Roof Fraud
Two men are facing charges after authorities said they took money to repair a roof but instead, climbed atop a Canton woman's home and did nothing.
Authorities arrested 48-year-old Marvin Moore and 28-year-old Brent Roberts Monday. They're charged with theft by conversion of payment.
Moore was released Monday on a $7,000 bond, but Roberts is still in jail on a bond for the same amount.
Last month, a woman told police the men came to her house and took more than $500 to fix her leaking roof. But a neighbor told her she saw the men sitting on the roof instead of working, and later, rain continued to leak through the roof. Authorities said the men were already out on bond on similar charges in Pickens County.
Consumer Alert: 140K Pounds Of Meat Recalled
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin is alerting consumers to the recall of some meat products that may have a wheat ingredient not listed on the label.
Westlake Food Corp., Santa Ana, Calif., is recalling about 140,000 pounds of fully cooked assorted meat products because they contain wheat starch, which is an allergen for some people, not listed on the product label.
The products being recalled are:
• 14-ounce packages of Gio Lua Tay Ho pork meat loaf wrapped in banana leaves fully cooked.
• 13-ounce packages of Bo Vien tay ho beef meat ball fully cooked.
• 14-ounce packages of Doi Gio heo tay ho cured pork hock sausage with onion wrapped in pork skin fully cooked.
• 15-ounce packages of Cha Chiien tay ho fried pork pattie fried in vegetable oil fully cooked.
• 13-ounce packages of Bo Vien gan tay ho beef meat ball with beef tendon fully cooked.
All the items were produced between April 15, 2009 and April 14, 2010. Consumers with concerns about allergic reactions should contact their physician. Those with question should call Westlake Food at 714-973-2286.
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