Verdict reached in 2014 home invasion that killed father and son

JACKSON, Tenn– Three long days in court for one of the men accused in a 2014 robbery and double homicide.

“A piece of our family is gone, it’s not coming back,” the victims grandfather and father-in-law Don Hennings said.

After nearly 12 hours in court, a Madison County jury found Johnny Wade guilty on all seven counts in the deaths of Arkansas State football player Markell Owens and his stepfather, Johnny Shivers.

The counts include first degree felony murder and attempted first degree murder and aggravated assault relating to Chermaine Owens-Shivers, who is the victim’s wife and mother. She was shot in the leg  during the home invasion.

“I’ve been sitting here for three days,” Hennings said.

The family has been in court every day.

Hennings said it is something he had to be present for.

“I wanted to be here, every minute. I wanted to see it all and hear it all and I wanted to get it all behind me. So now I have gotten it all behind me,” Hennings said.

It took the jury two hours to reach a verdict of guilty. Something Hennings said is a no-win situation.

“I lost my son, grandson and my son-in-law, then you have a young man in here who is going to spend the rest of his life in jail,
so it’s a no-win situation,” Henning said.

Thursday,the jury reached a sentence for Johnny Wade on 3 of the 7 counts sentencing him to life in prison.

Johnny Wade’s cousin, Derrick Wade, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in the case.

As for the family they will continue to keep the memories of their loved ones alive.

“He always had a million-dollar smile. He was one of those people if you knew him you loved him, he made you laugh,” Hennings said.

Johnny Wade will have a second sentencing hearing on March 2 for the remaining four counts.