Sunday, Apr. 17, 2005 | ||
Bad Links? | Alleged dealer faces murder chargeBy LEE WILLIAMS A Union City man who allegedly supplied drugs to two teenaged girls the night before the lesbian pair murdered an elderly Fayette County couple on Aug. 2 was arrested Thursday in less than 24 hours after authorities learned he was an alleged accomplice in the crime. Calvin Roland Lawson, 41, of 202 Shannon Lake Drive, was being held Friday in the Fayette County Jail on one count of felony murder in connection with the stabbing deaths of Carl and Sarah Collier, jail officials confirmed. Lawson was expected to make his first court appearance at 2 p.m. Friday, Fayette County magistrate court officials said. However, that appearance has been postponed possibly until Saturday, but no official date was available. Lawsons arrest came after Holly Harvey, 16, and her girlfriend, Sandra Ketchum, 16, admitted to murdering Harveys adoptive grandparents, Carl and Sarah Collier, in their Plantation Drive home. Harvey, who once was characterized as stone cold by authorities described the murders for the first time since her arrest, but only after Superior Court Chief Judge Paschal English Jr. grilled her in open court before he accepted her guilty plea Thursday. Harvey told the judge that she and Ketchum killed her grandparents so they could be together forever as a couple. To the surprise of law enforcement officials, she also told the judge about a man named Calvin, a friend of her mother, Carla Harvey, who allegedly supplied the girls with crack cocaine and marijuana the day before they embarked on their murder spree. Harvey told the judge she used a marijuana cigarette to lure her grandparents to the basement before attacking them with a large knife. Harvey was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. She likely could be eligible for parole in 20 years. Her accomplice, Ketchum was sentenced to one life sentence. Ketchum could be eligible for parole in 14 years. During a press conference following the girls pleas, Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Scott Ballard was asked if Calvin would be charged for his alleged involvement in the case. The reason Sandy Ketchum received only one life sentence is because she has immediately cooperated and talked with us and helped and was willing to testify in the trial against Holly Harvey, Ballard said. This was the first time any of us have heard Hollys story and I was not aware. Lt. Col. Bruce Jordan also indicated he was not aware of Calvin and added that he would be following up on that information. Holly Harveys mother Carla Harvey, 37, was asked if Calvin was a friend of hers. She indicated that he was not exactly a friend, but she knew him through her work. Carla Harvey declined to identify where she worked or provide Calvins last name. Carla Harvey speculated that Calvin might have encountered her daughter after he called her home to speak with her and Holly answered the phone. A few hours after the press conference, Lawson was taken into custody. Lawson faces only one felony murder charge. Magistrate court officials said that was only for now, but added they didnt expect any more warrants to be filed against Lawson. Efforts to reach sheriffs department officials for comments were not successful Friday. |
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