The ongoing trial of two men accused in the fatal shooting of 60-year-old Thomas "Tom" Arnold on Atlanta's Beltline resumes with more witness testimony. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, opening statements for the trial were delivered on April 24, and a jury has been seated since early last week. Arnold, a beloved member of the community and volunteer for Trees Atlanta, was found dead on February 26, 2022, after an evening with friends.
As reported by 11Alive, the second day of the trial on Friday saw Rachel Whitlark, who discovered Arnold's body while running with a friend, recount the "atypical day" that led to their harrowing find. Whitlark's testimony included the 911 call she made, describing "this person who is swirled out on their back with a bloody face." Atlanta Police Officer Kyle King, the first responder to the crime scene, also took the stand, allowing both prosecutors and defense to review his incident report during the trial proceedings.
Surveillance footage from the night of Arnold's murder showed three individuals in the vicinity, including moments before and immediately after the sound of a gunshot was captured. This same footage depicted the three making aggressive advances toward a woman nearby. The two suspects, Brandon Williams and Demetrice Ross, were identified and arrested by Atlanta Police in connection with Arnold's death, while a third individual remains unidentified. "We were running down a little connected spur and there's a little sort of garden area off to the side, you know, sort of you know with the area and we just encountered this person who is swirled out on their back with a bloody face," Whitlark told 11Alive in a previous interview.
Williams, 28 at the time of his arrest in March 2022, is suspected to be the shooter, while 26-year-old Ross was apprehended shortly after Williams. The prosecution intends to bring Ross's relatives forward as witnesses later in the trial. Atlanta Police hold the theory that Ross, Williams, and the unidentified third suspect were trying to rob Arnold when the shooting occurred, according to court documents cited by 11Alive. Arnold, recently retired, was remembered for his dedication to volunteer work and friends and family have paid tribute to his memory near the Atlanta Beltline Eastside and Freedom Park trails, as noted by FOX 5 Atlanta.
