Empty Nest
Special Section ►►PAGE 20
A better community Milton makes connections PAGE 14
County elections
Commissioners hold forum ►►PAGE 15
Conserving Milton City names eco-law expert ►►PAGE 4
April 23, 2014 | northfulton.com | 73,500 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 9, No. 17
Man gets life for girlfriend's murder Killed her in front of their kids By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com
CHARLIE HOLLOWAY/WWW.PSYCHEDELICPLAYGROUND.COM
Milton High School’s production of “Legally Blonde” garnered two awards at the annual Shuler Hensley theater awards ceremony April 17. Insert: The awards went to Sim Jones for best technical director and best lighting director.
Milton Theater wins 2 at Shuler awards Tri-Cities sweeps ceremony ATLANTA – Milton High School’s annual appearance at the Shuler Hensley Awards April 17 saw them take home two awards. This year, Milton’s Sim Jones took awards for best technical director and lighting director in the production of “Legally Blonde.” Milton was nominated for 14 awards. Tri-Cities High School swept the ceremony, with their performance of “Dreamgirls” gathering 13 awards for everything from best actor and actress to scene design and best musical. Similar to the Oscars, the annual Shuler Awards honor musical theater excellence at
the high school level, taking place at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, complete with the red carpet walk. Last year, Milton High School’s musical “Spamalot” was nominated for 13 and took home six awards, and West Forsyth’s “Oliver!” was nominated for 12 and won four awards. This year, no Forsyth schools took home awards. Fifty-nine high schools from 23 counties, representing school districts as well as private schools from throughout the state, participated this year. Cambridge student Tracey Buot was awarded one of six Shuler scholarships. —Jonathan Copsey
MILTON, Ga. – A Cumming resident was given life in jail without parole April 4 for the shooting death of his former girlfriend ERDMAN three years ago in Milton. Christopher Erdman, 27, of Cumming pleaded guilty to murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated stalking, cruelty to children and weapons offenses for the murder of 25-year-old Shannon Lawrence, June 5, 2011. Erdman and Lawrence, the estranged mother of his two children, 1 and 2 years old at the time, had organized to meet in the parking lot of the Birmingham Highway Wells Fargo Bank in Milton. They met to exchange custody of the children. During their exchange, Erdman grew angry and pulled a gun, firing four shots at Lawrence. She was struck in the pelvis, lungs and twice in the back of the head while lying on the ground. The episode happened in plain view of the couple’s young children. After the shooting, Erdman put Lawrence’s body in the back of his truck, loaded the children inside and drove to his father’s home in Cumming. Erdman left his children at his
They have had a long, tumultuous relationship” LT. SHAWN MCCARTY Milton Police Spokesman
parents’ house, and then both he and his father took Lawrence to Northside HospitalForsyth in Cumming. He told police he shot her because she threatened him with a knife. The state initially wanted to seek the death penalty for Erdman. However, they eventually accepted a plea deal at the request of the victim’s family. “They have had a long, tumultuous relationship,” said Milton Police Spokesman Lt. Shawn McCarty at the time of the murder. “We have reports from Cherokee County where the sheriff’s office was called [for domestic violence]. It appears this has progressively gotten worse in the last six or eight months.” Lawrence sought a temporary protective order against Erdman in Forsyth County. She said Erdman was acting aggressive and possessive of her after she left him, sending her hundreds of text messages and hounding family and friends. She ended the relationship following a report on Aug. 4, 2010, where Erdman allegedly struck their young daughter. “At this point, I am very afraid of him,” wrote Lawrence in the Jan. 31 protective order request.