Nathaniel and Lashawna David were sentenced Wednesday, June 26, for the murder of Connie Mercer-Webb. Both pled guilty to the following charges: Nathaniel - malice murder, possession of firearm during commission of felony, and concealing death of another. Lashawna - felony murder, concealing death of another and tampering with evidence.
Chief Superior Court Judge Bobby Reeves sentenced the couple as follows: Nathaniel was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the malice murder charge, plus 10 years to serve consecutive for the firearm charge, plus five years consecutive on probation for the tampering charge. Lashawna David was sentenced to life with parole for the felony murder charge, plus 10 years consecutive for the concealing death charge, plus 10 years consecutive for the tampering with evidence charge. District Attorney Tripp Fitzner explained that although both were sentenced to life with parole, the minimum they will serve will be 30 years before they can even be considered for parole.
“I appreciate the hard work of the Swainsboro Police Department. They responded very swiftly to this and that was very helpful to us in the quick apprehension of the defendants in this case and ultimately in the prosecution of this case. The Sheriff’s Department responded too. It was an all hands on deck kind of situation. I appreciate the work the GBI did on the crime scene,” said DA Fitzner. “I know there is nothing the criminal justice system can do to make the family whole but we hope this gives them some closure and I would ask that everybody just keep this family in their prayers.”
RECAP
On Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at approximately 6:30 p.m., officers of the Swainsboro Police Department responded to a suspicious vehicle located on Modoc Road in Swainsboro. Upon arrival, officers located a vehicle that was driven off the edge of the roadway, close to the wood line of Modoc Road. As officers investigated the abandoned vehicle, they became aware that the vehicle belonged to Connie Mercer-Webb, 53, of a Twin City address.
While on the scene, officers received information that Webb had not been seen or heard from all day by her family. A family member advised officers that Webb never fails to return phone calls or messages by phone. Officers began a canvas of the neighborhood, seeking information relating to the abandoned vehicle and/or the owner. Other officers arrived on scene to assist with the door-to-door canvas of the neighborhood in hopes of locating the missing person.
While continuing the investigation as to the whereabouts of Webb, officers were directed to a nearby residence located at the address of 309 Modoc Road - a rental property belonging to Webb and occupied by tenant Nathaniel David and his wife, LaShawna David. This address was approximately 300 yards from the reported abandoned vehicle.
Officers made contact with Nathaniel at the residence and was told that Webb (landlord) had in fact came by the residence earlier that morning to collect rent but did not come into the house and left shortly after a brief conversation driving her own vehicle.
As officers were walking away from the rental property, they heard a person shouting, indicating that they had located the body of Webb that was being removed from the residence of 309 Modoc Rd. The person was later identified as Webb’s son, and he was pleading for officers to run quickly back down the street to his location, which was 309 Modoc Rd.
Officers then observed Nathaniel running away from the residence and they gave pursuit in which Nathaniel and LaShawna were both apprehended. The body of Webb was located at the rear of the residence of 309 Modoc Rd. It became apparent to officers on scene that the suspects, now in custody, were attempting to dispose of the body when they were observed by the victim’s son.
