A fugitive from Cobb County wanted for murder was arrested Tuesday, a week after his alleged accomplices were arrested and charged in a deadly home invasion.
Gerald Florence, 34, of Powder Springs, was found with fellow fugitive Maenita Thomas, 39, of Acworth, inside a home on Fern Valley Drive in Marietta, Cobb officials said.
Florence was wanted on murder charges out of LaGrange after a home invasion left Darius Tucker dead. He remained in the Cobb County Detention Center on Tuesday, authorities said.
His alleged accomplices — Jarvis D. Duncan, 35, and Michael Lee Fair, 37, both of Marietta, and Lewis Antonio Shells, 35, of LaGrange — were arrested Nov. 28 and charged with murder.
Tucker was one of two people shot along the 100 block of Edgewood Avenue, police said. He later died at a local hospital.
According to LaGrange police, three of the four masked men dressed in black clothing forced their way inside the home and confronted the victims.
Thomas, who was not connected to Florence's alleged crime, was wanted on aggravated assault, intent to commit murder and elderly abuse charges out of Bartow County. According to media reports, she allegedly entered a room inside an Acworth home and attacked someone with a machete. The victim was able to grab the blade, leaving a large cut on their hand, and was reportedly taken to the hospital.
Thomas is being held in the Cobb County jail pending her transfer to the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities did not say what connection Florence and Thomas have, if any.
The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit and the U.S. Marshals Southeast Fugitive Task Force worked in coordination with Marietta and LaGrange police departments to make the arrests.
