Who killed Egypt Covington? ‘Dateline NBC’ uncovers Ann Arbor singer killed by three men during a botched robbery
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN: Egypt Covington was discovered deceased from a gunshot wound to the head at approximately 7:15 p.m. on June 23, 2017. Her hands were tied with string lights, and she had suffered a gunshot wound to her head. Covington was reportedly watching a movie when the burglars broke into her house.
All three men accused of the murder of Egypt Covington — Timothy Eugene Moore, Shandon Ray Groom, and Shane Lamar Evans — were charged with murder. They have since been convicted and sentenced to prison for their respective roles in the slaying.
Who was Egypt Covington?
Egypt Covington, aged 27, served as a beer distributor account manager. She was also renowned in the region for her musical performances. Her residence was located in the 45000 block of Hull Road in Van Buren Township, east of Washtenaw County.
In honor of her memory, Arbor Brewing Co. introduced a seasonal beer named "A Girl Named Egypt," with a portion of proceeds directed to a foundation bearing her name. This foundation supports various charitable causes, including music scholarships, animal welfare, and aiding victims of domestic abuse.
Following an extensive investigation, it was revealed that Covington was tragically killed by three individuals who mistakenly targeted her residence while attempting to rob a neighbor they believed was involved in marijuana cultivation.
What happened between Egypt Covington and the three burglars who broke in?
As per earlier court testimonies by Evans, the men had gathered in June 2017 and conceived a plan to steal marijuana from Covington's neighbor, who was away at the time. They drove to the duplex in Van Buren Township, with Evans indicating the correct door before departing.
However, Groom and Moore mistakenly entered Covington's residence, finding her watching a movie. Upon encountering her, they tragically shot her to death and reportedly used Christmas lights to bind her.
During the trio's preliminary examination, prosecutors presented an audio recording of Evans' police interrogation where he mentioned that his friend, Groom, was interested in obtaining marijuana but lacked the funds to do so. Evans informed law enforcement that he was aware Covington's neighbor, who resided in the same duplex, was a medical marijuana caregiver and kept marijuana in the house. He also mentioned that the neighbor would be away attending the Electric Forest music festival, as heard in the recording.
Being employed by a lawn care company that serviced Covington's duplex regularly, Evans provided the other two individuals with the location of the home on Hull Road. Later that evening, he received a text from them stating "oops wrong house," as detailed in the recording.
Egypt Covington's family appeals to the public to help find the suspects
During the period between the murder and the arrests, Egypt Covington's family waged a long and persistent battle, both in public and behind the scenes, to find out any information about the suspects.
They felt frustrated by the lack of progress in the local township investigation which had initially identified an ex-boyfriend as a person of interest shortly after the murder. However, Covington's family, backed by thousands of supporters, demanded a more thorough investigation. The family established the Facebook group "Justice for Egypt: The Truth Behind the Investigation" and called on the state police to intervene and take over the case.
Throughout this time, Covington's family received ongoing tips through social media platforms, some of which included information indicating the involvement of drugs in her murder. They tried to generate more awareness of the case by creating a billboard requesting additional clues and organizing marches in Egypt Covington's honor. Furthermore, a $25,000 reward was offered for any information that could lead to an arrest.
Ultimately, all their efforts resulted in the Michigan State Police taking charge of the investigation in August 2020.
When were the three men arrested in the Egypt Covington's case?
Three men were arrested and charged with Covington’s murder more than three years after her death. In November 2020, police announced that two individuals had been arrested. Timothy Eugene Moore, hailing from Toledo, Ohio, was arraigned and officially charged with one count of homicide on Nov. 8, 2020.
The second man arrested, Shane Lamar Evans from Sumpter Township, was initially released while police continued their investigation. However, he was arrested again and charged with murder and first-degree home invasion on Dec. 18, 2020. Shandon Ray Groom, a resident of Toledo, Ohio, was charged with murder and home invasion in late December 2020.
Notably, Groom and Moore are cousins who both resided in Toledo, Ohio, while Evans lived just three miles from Covington’s duplex. The Michigan State Police did mention that there was also a fourth suspect involved in the case, but they were shot and killed after the crime occurred.
During a police interview, Evans admitted to leading the other two men to Covington’s duplex and informing them that the neighbor had marijuana that could be easily stolen. A prosecutor described the incident as a "robbery gone bad." "I knew he was out of town. I knew he was out of his house," Evans stated in the police interview. "I said go to the right. I knew 100% no one was in that house. They went to the wrong door."
On March 25, 2021, a judge determined that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with a trial on murder charges against all three men. The judge emphasized that Evans essentially confessed when he mentioned that Moore and Groom mistakenly entered the wrong unit at the duplex, where Covington was alone at home.
What charges were pressed against the burglars who shot Egypt Covington?
The individuals responsible for the murder of Egypt Covington faced a range of charges related to their actions.
Shane Lamar Evans, aged 34, was charged with second-degree murder. As part of his plea, Evans was going to testify against Groom and Moore at trial. Shandon Ray Groom, aged 30, faced charges of second-degree murder and home invasion. Timothy Eugene Moore, aged 37, was charged with second-degree murder and also faced an additional charge for a felony firearm offense.
Cell phone records and GPS data played a crucial role in the case, linking Shane Lamar Evans, Timothy Eugene Moore, and Shandon Ray Groom to the location of the crime. Prosecutors presented evidence that the men had stolen Egypt Covington’s cell phone, which was later tracked to the same location as their phones before they disposed of it. As a result of this evidence, all three men were bound over for trial, facing the charges related to the murder of Egypt Covington.
Three men were convicted of second-degree murder in the 2017 death of Egypt Covington
Shandon Ray Groom, aged 30, received a sentence of 17 to 26 years in prison after being found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2017 death of Egypt Covington, as per court records cited by the Associated Press, WJBK, and The Detroit News.
Eugene Moore, aged 37, was sentenced to 20 to 55 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder along with a felony firearm offense. The third individual implicated in Covington’s murder, Shane Lamar Evans, aged 34, was sentenced in May to 15 to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.
Family members addressed the court, including Chuck Covington, Egypt Covington's father, who expressed frustration at Groom and Moore "playing the system" with their plea agreement. Chuck Covington argued that the defendants should have been charged with first-degree murder and faced the prospect of life imprisonment without parole. He pointed out that one of the suspects possessed a gun, questioning why they would bring a weapon unless they intended to use it.
Describing the brutality of the crime, Chuck Covington stated, "They hogtied — hogtied — my daughter with Christmas lights. They used a pillow to muffle the sound of the gun. They shot my daughter in the back of the head," characterizing it as an "execution."
This ‘Dateline NBC’ Season 32 episode will air on Friday, March 22, 2024, at 9 PM ET on NBC and will be available for streaming on Peacock the following day.