A motions hearing is scheduled today in the Michael Eades Jr. murder case. Eades is the 45-year-old Tyrone man accused with three other defendants in the September 2014 execution-style killing of 37-year-old Tyron Howard at Howard’s apartment on South Stewart Street in Blairsville.
At a preliminary hearing last June, Eades was described by his co-defendants as being the leader of the four men, and also as one of two who stabbed the bound and gagged Howard repeatedly with a sword. Defendant Kevin Lee King said Eades ordered him to stab Howard, and then grabbed the sword from him and stabbed Howard himself. The other defendants, Stanley Boynton and DeAndre Jones Jr., are also charged with the murder although it is agreed that neither of them actually took part in the stabbings. Boynton and King were both offered reduced charges in exchange for their testimony against Eades, who is King’s step-brother and who allegedly was angry with Howard for retaining drug money Eades felt was his.
Attorney Robert Manzi Jr. has filed two omnibus pretrial motions, and some of the items in those motions have already been disposed of. Still outstanding is a motion for Habeas Corpus, which would effectively end the case; a motion to exclude one of three statements Eades made to State Trooper Deanna Kirkland after his arrest; and a motion to exclude DNA evidence. Judge William Martin has scheduled today’s hearing for 8:30 AM. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on June 19th.
