Grand jury returns three murder indictments for January shooting
DOWNTOWN JACKSON — A grand jury indicted two three men — including one already facing murder charges — on Monday for the shooting deaths of a student athlete and his stepfather. Jackson police presented evidence to the Madison County grand jury, which led to the indictments of three men in the January murders of Markel Owens, 21, Johnny Shivers, 36, and attempted murder of Chermaine Owens-Shivers in a home invasion on Walker Road. Johnny Wade and Derrick Wade, both of Jackson, and Craig Taylor, of Madison County, were all indicted on charges of first-degree murder and felony murder in the deaths of Owens and Shivers and especially aggravated robbery. They were also indicted for the attempted first-degree murder of Shiver’s wife and aggravated assault on their 16-year-old son. On Jan. 15 around 9:30 p.m., police were called to a duplex at 770 Walker Road. Chermaine Owens-Shivers was lying in the front yard with a gunshot wound. Markel Owens and Johnny Shivers were found with gunshot wounds inside the apartment. Shivers was apparently dead at the scene. Owens was transported to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and pronounced dead. Taylor has been in custody at the Madison County Jail since his April 29 arrest for the November 2012 shooting death of Devon Staten. In April, forensic evidence aided investigators in determining that Taylor had shot and killed Staten, 24, in an attempted robbery on Lealand Lane. Taylor has been ordered held with no bond at the Madison County Jail for Staten’s homicide, and he awaits a preliminary hearing in Jackson City Court in that case. Johnny Wade and Craig Taylor are scheduled to be arraigned next Monday in Madison County Circuit Court on the indictments. Derrick Wade will have to be transferred from the West Tennessee State Penitentiary in Henning to Jackson for his arraignment. It’s unknown when he will be arraigned in Circuit Court.
