Newton County man convicted for murdering ex-wife, husband in front of daughter

NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Newton County jury convicted a man accused of shooting and killing the mother of his child and her husband in front of their daughter.

According to the Newton County District Attorney’s Office, Marques Smith shot and killed Craig and Desiree Thomas in Sept. 2022 during a child custody exchange.

Smith and Desiree Thomas had previously been in a relationship and had children together, including a then-15-year-old daughter. The DA’s office said the Thomas family went to Smith’s home on Pebble Lane in Covington to drop the children off.

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The DA’s office said while the Thomases and Smith and Mrs. Thomas’ daughter were in the car, Smith went to his car and got a gun, then went back to the Thomases’ car and shot and killed the couple in front of his own daughter.

After, the DA’s office said Smith ran from the scene.

During the trial, the DA’s office said they showed evidence that Smith had reached out to his family members to try to get a gun, as well as a showing Smith’s history of violence to his ex-wife, including a conviction for aggravated battery in 2017 in Rockdale County.

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While at trial, members of the jury also heard about phone calls Smith made each night of the trial, where he told his family that the trial was “fun and that he had wanted to laugh while looking at a picture from the 2017 aggravated battery case, the DA’s office said.

Smith also told his family over the phone during the trial that he “enjoyed being the ‘guest of honor’” while in court.

The four-day trial ended with Smith’s conviction on two counts of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of possessing a firearm during a felony, first-degree cruelty to children, two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

A sentencing hearing has not been scheduled yet.

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