A woman arrested recently on a murder charge in a 2019 Augusta homicide was granted a $50,000 bond Friday, Sept. 30.
Venus L. Shelton, 40, will be on electronic monitor and under the supervision of a probation officer if she is able to post the bond.
The victim in the case was 32-year-old Rommie Williams who was found dead in his bed inside the Essie McIntyre Boulevard apartment he shared with a roommate. Williams had a pillow over his head and a bullet wound to his forehead, Assistant District Attorney Dre’Kevius Huff said during Shelton’s Richmond County Superior Court bond hearing.
Williams’ roommate told investigators he had been in and out the night before with friends and his girlfriend, who had seen a woman in the apartment. The roommate thought Williams was just sleeping in the next day with loud music playing in his room until he failed to respond to calls, texts or Facebook messages, Huff said.
Shelton was a known acquaintance of Williams, and she was questioned in 2019. She said she hadn’t seen Williams in the previous week, Huff said. DNA material found on Williams’ body has been linked to Shelton’s DNA.
Defense attorney Lydia Schlitt told the judge that Shelton has lived in Augusta her entire life. She has three children, one of whom is a special needs child, and she has extensive family support. Schlitt noted that Shelton has no prior felony conviction.
Judge Jesse Stone set at $50,000 bond for Shelton with electronic monitoring.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
