Desmonte Leonard Found Guilty of Capital Murder
Desmonte Leonard is guilty of capital murder. The man now convicted of shooting and killing three people at an Auburn apartment complex in 2012 could face the death penalty.
Desmonte Leonard is now convicted of shooting and killing three people in Auburn and injuring several others in 2012. Leonard’s defense attorney Susan James says she was surprised the verdict was returned so quickly.
“I don’t know if it was a word, if it was a concept or what but obviously if there was anything standing in the way, the charge and the explanation lead them to the verdict,” she told reporters Tuesday afternoon.
After the shooting at the University Heights apartment complex, Leonard led authorities on a three-day manhunt that ended in Montgomery. Public Safety Director Chris Murphy was at the scene of a home in East Montgomery, where investigators believed Leonard was hiding out.
“Oh yes, I remember that day very well,” he tells us. “Obviously, we thought we had him, good evidence that he was here in Montgomery. So we became very involved in that case with our partners in Auburn.”
Investigators never did find Leonard in the house, but Murphy says authorities made the right decision to pursue their lead.
“You look back on those situations and you do procedures and you do activities that you feel like you have to do based on the evidence that’s presented to you, so we still feel good about those procedures.”
Alabama News Network did go back to the house that was targeted in the manhunt. The owner of that house has since sued the city for damages to her house during the raid. She did not want to go on camera but she tells us the matter is still not resolved.
Many people believe the guilty verdict was the right verdict. Reaction on social media however, seems to be mixed with some people posting FREEWOOSIE, which appears to be a nickname for Leonard.
