Three separate murder trials will determine the guilt or innocence of the three men who have been in the Wayne County Jail since late 2020 when they were arrested.
The Wayne County Circuit Court jury trial for Timothy Eugene Moore, 37, of Toledo has been reset for July 24 in the shooting death of Elizabeth (Egypt) Covington on June 22, 2017 in Van Buren Township.
The jury trial had been set for Dec. 12, 2022. On Feb. 28, 2023 the final review date, the order was signed for the July 24 jury trial before Judge Wanda A. Evans.
Moore has been in the Wayne County Jail since his Nov. 8, 2020 arrest, along with the two other defendants.
Moore is charged with 1st degree premeditated murder, felony murder, home invasion-1st degree, and four counts of weapons-felony firearm. Another count of possession of a weapon by a felon was dismissed by 34th District Court Judge Tina Brooks Green at the preliminary exam on March 25, 2021.
Shandon R Groom, 30, of Toledo, another defendant in the case, had his case separated from the other two defendants on Feb. 8, 2022 after Judge Evans heard and granted a motion to sever his case from the others and have a separate file. A motion hearing on his case was set for April 22, 2022 and then adjourned until May 9, 2022.
Groom has pled not guilty to charges of homicide–felony murder, home invasion–1st degree, premeditated 1st degree murder, and three counts of weapons–felony firearm.
His jury trial had been set for Oct. 3, 2022 and now has been adjourned until April 10, 2023.
On March 22, 2022 Shane Lamar Evans, 34, of Sumpter Township, had an order for a competency evaluation signed by Judge Evans. A review date on his case was set for May 31, 2022 before Judge Evans.
Shane Evans was charged with homicide–felony murder and home invasion–1st degree.
On Feb. 28, all his competency hearings were complete and he was found competent to stand trial.
His jury trial is set for Dec. 11, 2023.
All three would face life in prison if convicted of their charges.
Egypt was a 2007 graduate of Belleville High School and a popular local singer. She was employed as an account manager for beer and wine distributor Rave and had worked at Johnny’s on the Lake and Bayou Grill in Belleville.
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