(WXYZ) — A judge sentenced Shane Evans, one of the three men charged in the murder of Egypt Covington, to 15-25 years in prison Thursday after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the case.
It's been a years-long murder mystery that, early on, had Van Buren Township Police wrongly accusing a close friend of Egypt Covington of her murder. Now, nearly six years later, a sentencing for one of the three men who were charged in the case.
“Egypt was a shining light; she touched so many lives,” said Tina Covington, Egypt’s mother, at the sentencing. “A loss like this changes the DNA of a family.”
Egypt's brother Dwayne Turner and his wife Lindsay, who were instrumental in getting the stalled case moved to Michigan State Police, said last month that Evans' guilty plea to second-degree murder paves an uphill battle for defense attorneys of the two other men charged, Shandon Groom and Timothy Moore.
"After we figured out some of the information, we said 'oh my God, this is fantastic news because this is going to nail down the other two,'" Dwayne said of the agreement to have Evans testify against Groom and Moore.
Egypt's brother and his wife have now made it their mission to help other families navigate the investigative process in their shared quest for justice.
"We really look forward to honoring Egypt and helping more families," said Lindsay who started a victim advocacy group known as Can't Stop Won't Stop.
