Multiple Columbus murder trials kick off in Muscogee County court

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Several murder cases expected to go to trial today continue to get kicked down the road as court officials take more time to prepare.

Four accused murderers will wait a little longer to have their day in court after their case is not picked up for trial this week. Emmanuel Truitt, Rodney Favors, Jayvon Harchett and Deante Caruthers are all charged with murder in different cases.

Starting with Truitt, who is going on two years in the Muscogee County Jail. The 26-year-old is charged with shooting and killing 17-year-old Deondre Williams on 25th Avenue and Alford Street in November of 2021.

Moving to 26-year-old Rodney Favors. He’s been in jail for a little over a year. Police say he killed 24-year-old Centravious Wiggins in July 2020 on Decatur Court. A year ago, Wiggins’ grandmother reflects on what Favor took from her.

“I don’t want to see this young man out here on these streets that have look away my grandson from here.”

Rafter being on the run for two years, police tracked him down and arrested him in San Deigo, California.

You’ll recall Jayvon Hatchett as being the man police say killed an Autozone employee in a racially motivated stabbing in August of 2020 and then turned around and killed his white cellmate once arrested. During a press conference after the incident, former Sheriff Donna Tompkins said a deputy saw the whole thing.

“Our deputy entered the dorm and observed inmate Jayvon Hatchett on top of inmate Eddie Nelson. Inmate Hatchett was subsequently advised of his Miranda Rights and confessed to killing inmate Nelson.”

Hatchett is already sentenced to 25 years in prison for the Autozone murder.

Lastly, there is 32-year-old Deante Caruthers. He’s been in jail almost three years and charged with murdering 35-year-old Joseph Dukes. Dukes was shot on Sweetwater Drive in Columbus on Jan. 20 before driving himself to Moye Drive and wrecking his vehicle.

All four cases were rescheduled for Oct. 10.

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