Arnithal Freeman pleads guilty and is sentenced to prison for aggravated battery and aggravated stalking of Debra Ashby:

Yesterday, just before jury selection, Arnithal Freeman (74 years old) entered a plea of guilty to Aggravated Battery – Family Violence, Aggravated Assault, and Terroristic Threats, as well as a separate case of Aggravated Stalking. This plea was entered with no negotiated sentence. After hearing arguments and evidence regarding sentencing, Judge Kevin Morris sentenced Freeman to 25 years with the first 20 years to be served in prison.

The first incident occurred on April 12, 2022 at Ms. Ashby’s Covington residence. Her family had not been able to contact her for a few days. When they went to check on her, they found her with severe bruising to her neck, face, and arms as well as blood pooling in her eyes. Ashby told investigators that Freeman, her boyfriend, began to assault her during an argument. Freeman struck her multiple times with his fists and a boot. He also strangled her to the point that she could not breathe. Law enforcement located Freeman who claimed Ashby had received her injuries from falling off a bed.

Debra Ashby

Freeman was arrested and later bonded out of jail in May of 2022. As a condition of his bond, Freeman was to have no contact with Ms. Ashby. On November 1, 2022, Ashby’s family reported her missing and had not seen or spoken with her since October 29. Shortly after this, the Covington Police Department initiated a missing person’s investigation. On November 5, 2022 as part of this investigation, it was determined that Freeman had gone to Ashby’s house after he had been released from jail. He was arrested that day for Aggravated Stalking.

Sadly, on November 11, 2022, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office located remains that were later identified to be those of Ms. Ashby.

The Covington Police Department, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, and the GBI crime lab investigated the death case as a separate, but possibly related matter to the April 12, 2022 incident. This included work by a medical examiner and forensic anthropologist. Ultimately, the autopsy and anthropology report have not determined a cause or manner of death based on the state of the remains and did not rule out non-homicidal causes of death (such as natural causes or other causes of death not caused by another person).

Arnithal Freeman

Based on this and the available evidence regarding Ms. Ashby’s death, the District Attorney’s Office determined it was appropriate to proceed with the aggravated battery and aggravated stalking cases. The State was ready to try those cases despite the victim being deceased. Instead, the Defendant, who is now 74 years old, pleaded guilty on the morning of jury selection.

The prosecution was handled by Chief Assistant District Attorney Amber Dally, Chief Investigator Kelly Whire, Senior Victim Advocate Shay Payne, Trial Assistant Danielle Miller, and Legal Assistant Sheila Cornelius. Numerous deputies, officers, and investigators with the Covington Police Department and Newton County Sheriff’s Office were involved in the investigations.

If anyone has any information regarding the death of Ms. Ashby, please contact the Covington Police Department, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, or the Newton County District Attorney’s Office.

Randy McGinley

Alcovy Judicial Circuit