SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — It was a murder mystery that, early on, had Van Buren Township Police wrongly accusing a close friend of Egypt Covington of her murder. Now, nearly six years later, comes a guilty plea from Shane Evans, one of three men charged in the case.
"The one fact we know is that Egypt is dead. We don't know anything else, the facts in this case. But Shane at least stepped up and took responsibility for his part in this murder," said Tina Covington, Egypt's mother.
"He wasn't that vicious monster that perhaps the other two are," she added.
Egypt's brother Dwayne Turner and his wife Lindsay, who were instrumental in getting the stalled case moved to Michigan State Police, said Evans' guilty plea to second-degree murder paves an uphill battle for defense attorneys of the two other men charged, Shandon Groom and Timothy Moore.
"After we figured out some of the information, we said oh my God, this is fantastic news because this is going to nail down the other two," Dwayne said of the agreement to have Evans testify against Groom and Moore.
"The only motive we know of is that they went to steal weed," said Lindsay. The only problem is they went to the wrong home. "Shane admitted that he pointed to the house and go to the door on the right. They went in and went to the door on the left. From then we don't know motive or why they didn't just turn around."
Egypt's father, Chuck Covington, released the following statement Wednesday:
This is a very, very difficult time for our family and all of the people who knew and loved Egypt.
We are heartened by the work of the Wayne County prosecutors this week and the direction the proceedings appear to be heading.
We feel confident that, moving forward, things will continue to move expediently toward a proper verdict.
Egypt is in our hearts and minds forever.
Egypt's brother and his wife have now made it their mission to help other families navigate the investigative process in their shared quest for justice.
"We really look forward to honoring Egypt and helping more families," said Lindsay who started a victim advocacy group known as Can't Stop Won't Stop.
As for the other two men still facing first-degree murder charges in the home invasion and fatal shooting of Egypt Covington, Dwayne said the men should have to spend the rest of their lives in prison.
"They, they should get life. They should get life in prison," he said. "I think these two are more violent offenders. They're the ones who had a choice inside."
