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Armed robbery reported on Salem Road
murphy-USA
NCSO is looking for the suspect in an armed robbery at a Salem Road gas station. (Darryl Welch | The Covington News)

COVINGTON, Ga. - Investigators with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) are looking for the person who robbed a Salem Road gas station at gunpoint early Tuesday morning.

According to a NCSO incident report, the victim told Deputy Ezekiel Walker a male entered and exited the Murphy’s gas station on Salem Road near Brown Bridge Road at 3:19 a.m. July 25. The male came back into the store with a firearm, pointed it at the victim and demanded money.

According to the report, the perpetrator left the store on foot traveling in an unknown direction.

Newton County jury finds Covington man guilty of felony murder
Shane Robinson
Shane Robinson - photo by Courtesy of the Newton County Sheriff's Office

NEWTON COUNTY – On Monday afternoon, 30-year-old Shane Alexander Robinson of Covington was found guilty of killing Charles Edward Stanley III over three years ago.

The Newton County District Attorney’s Office released that a jury deemed that Robinson was guilty on three charges: Felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

On March 5, 2022, sometime between 11 p.m. and midnight, Robinson shot an AR-style firearm at a vehicle that Stanley was driving along Harvey Wood Drive. According to the District Attorney’s release, Robinson fired the weapon 13 times into the vehicle, killing Stanley.

According to a previous report by The Covington News, an arrest warrant stated that Robinson “grabbed his AR-15 (rifle) and drove” from his home to Harvey Wood Drive to “scare” Stanley.

“When Charles was backing up, Shane admitted to firing several rounds at the vehicle,” the 2022 warrant stated. “Furthermore, Shane also initially stated that he fired rounds at the vehicle as it was driving away.”

Robinson initially faced charges of murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, unauthorized discharge of firearms within 50 yards of the public highway, and reckless conduct. It is not clear if some of these charges were dismissed.

Sentencing is set for a later date, which has not been announced. A co-defendant’s case is still pending.