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Monday, March 2nd:
*Trial continues (Day 3) [for both] (@ 9am ET) - GA - LaTania 'Janell' Carwell (16) (Missing April 17, 2017, Augusta; found March 8, 2018) – *Leon Lamarr Tripp (38/now 45) step-dad arrested (5/23/17) & indicted & charged (3/13/18) of 2 counts of murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, cruelty to children in the 1st degree & concealing a death. [Charges revised see below] Plead not guilty.Bond $500K. DA will not seek DP [12/22/24].
Indicted & re-charged (11/14/23) & arraigned (12/8/23) with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, family violence, cruelty to children & concealing death of another. Held without bond (11/14/23). Bond reduction denied (3/25/24). Richmond County
*Indicted & charged (10/3/23) & arraigned (10/20/23) with possession of contraband by inmate. Plead not guilty. Richmond County
*Tanya Faye Tripp (35/now 42) "mom" arrested (5/23/17), charged & indicted (3/13/18) of 2nd degree murder, concealing a death & harboring a fugitive. Plead not guilty.$500K bond.
Indicted & re-charged (11/14/23) & arraigned (12/8/23) with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, family violence, cruelty to children in the first degree & concealing the death of another. Held without bond (11/14/23). Bond reduction denied (3/25/24). Richmond County
Tanya failed to provide accurate info regarding the circumstances of her daughter’s abduction.
Jury Selection began on 2/23/26 & ended on 2/25/26. Jury consists of 12 jurors & 2 alternates. [1 juror was dismissed on 2/26/26].
Trial began on 2/26/26.
Judge Charles H.S. Lyons, III presiding. State attorney Deshala T. Dixon. Leon’s Defense attorneys Kara Stangl & Elisa Burnum. Tanya’s Defense attorney Arnold Ragas.
Court info from 2/2/18 thru 1/8/26 & Jury Selection Day 1-3 (2/23-2/25/26) & Trial Day 1 (2/26/26) reference post #298 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...-mom-stepdad-charged-augusta-2.649996/page-15
2/27/26 Friday, Trial Day 2: State witnesses: Angela Harden [a pastor who helped with community searches for Janell Carwell in 2017]. Willie McClod [He stated he knew Leon for about seven or eight months when Janell went missing]. Patrick “Maurice” Jackson [he met Leon the week before Janell went missing]. Douglas McClain [works for the Augusta Fire Dept. & reported abandoned truck]. Daniel Madden [who was an investigator with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office in 2017-received call re truck]. Dr. Sandra Reynolds [forensic pathologist with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. She examined the remains & was given initial information of how the remains were recovered]. Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Ronald Sylvester [works on missing-person cases].
*Before court adjourned, Tanya’s attorney Arnold Ragas asked Judge Lyons to remove the entire Richmond County DA’s Office from the case. Ragas argued that Kevin Davis, the Chief Assistant DA, previously worked for the Public Defender’s Office from 2017 through 2019 — the same office that handled parts of Tanya’s defense early in the case. Ragas said Davis participated in internal meetings, strategy discussions & discovery reviews related to Tanya’s case at that time. Ragas said Davis is now helping supervise the prosecution & could step in if lead prosecutor Justin Mullis has to step away. The prosecution did not deny that Davis had been consulted but argued the defense’s claims were too vague & lacked specifics about what information Davis may have accessed. Judge Lyons did not rule immediately. He ordered the defense to file a detailed written motion by midday Sunday, with copies emailed to the court and the DA’s office. The matter is expected to be addressed Monday morning. Trial continues on Monday, 3/2/26 @ 9am.
*Trial continues (Day 3) [for both] (@ 9am ET) - GA - LaTania 'Janell' Carwell (16) (Missing April 17, 2017, Augusta; found March 8, 2018) – *Leon Lamarr Tripp (38/now 45) step-dad arrested (5/23/17) & indicted & charged (3/13/18) of 2 counts of murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, cruelty to children in the 1st degree & concealing a death. [Charges revised see below] Plead not guilty.
Indicted & re-charged (11/14/23) & arraigned (12/8/23) with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, family violence, cruelty to children & concealing death of another. Held without bond (11/14/23). Bond reduction denied (3/25/24). Richmond County
*Indicted & charged (10/3/23) & arraigned (10/20/23) with possession of contraband by inmate. Plead not guilty. Richmond County
*Tanya Faye Tripp (35/now 42) "mom" arrested (5/23/17), charged & indicted (3/13/18) of 2nd degree murder, concealing a death & harboring a fugitive. Plead not guilty.
Indicted & re-charged (11/14/23) & arraigned (12/8/23) with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, family violence, cruelty to children in the first degree & concealing the death of another. Held without bond (11/14/23). Bond reduction denied (3/25/24). Richmond County
Tanya failed to provide accurate info regarding the circumstances of her daughter’s abduction.
Jury Selection began on 2/23/26 & ended on 2/25/26. Jury consists of 12 jurors & 2 alternates. [1 juror was dismissed on 2/26/26].
Trial began on 2/26/26.
Judge Charles H.S. Lyons, III presiding. State attorney Deshala T. Dixon. Leon’s Defense attorneys Kara Stangl & Elisa Burnum. Tanya’s Defense attorney Arnold Ragas.
Court info from 2/2/18 thru 1/8/26 & Jury Selection Day 1-3 (2/23-2/25/26) & Trial Day 1 (2/26/26) reference post #298 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...-mom-stepdad-charged-augusta-2.649996/page-15
2/27/26 Friday, Trial Day 2: State witnesses: Angela Harden [a pastor who helped with community searches for Janell Carwell in 2017]. Willie McClod [He stated he knew Leon for about seven or eight months when Janell went missing]. Patrick “Maurice” Jackson [he met Leon the week before Janell went missing]. Douglas McClain [works for the Augusta Fire Dept. & reported abandoned truck]. Daniel Madden [who was an investigator with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office in 2017-received call re truck]. Dr. Sandra Reynolds [forensic pathologist with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. She examined the remains & was given initial information of how the remains were recovered]. Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Ronald Sylvester [works on missing-person cases].
*Before court adjourned, Tanya’s attorney Arnold Ragas asked Judge Lyons to remove the entire Richmond County DA’s Office from the case. Ragas argued that Kevin Davis, the Chief Assistant DA, previously worked for the Public Defender’s Office from 2017 through 2019 — the same office that handled parts of Tanya’s defense early in the case. Ragas said Davis participated in internal meetings, strategy discussions & discovery reviews related to Tanya’s case at that time. Ragas said Davis is now helping supervise the prosecution & could step in if lead prosecutor Justin Mullis has to step away. The prosecution did not deny that Davis had been consulted but argued the defense’s claims were too vague & lacked specifics about what information Davis may have accessed. Judge Lyons did not rule immediately. He ordered the defense to file a detailed written motion by midday Sunday, with copies emailed to the court and the DA’s office. The matter is expected to be addressed Monday morning. Trial continues on Monday, 3/2/26 @ 9am.
