Shubert Murder Trial Enters Fourth Day

Testimony is expected to resume today in the murder trial of Brent Shubert who is charged with the murder of this live-in girlfriend, Bonnie Ann Cooner, in 2013.

During testimony Wednesday, the court heard from two people who were jail inmates with Shubert in the Franklin County Detention Center.

Joel Keller is currently serving time in Valdosta State Prison for aggravated assault and other charges.

Keller testified that while in jail awaiting a bond hearing in 2013, Shubert allegedly approached him and offered him $5,000 to, “get rid of” of J.D. Cannady, the man who admitted to helping dispose of Cooner’s body.

Keller said at the time, he thought he might be released on bond and Shubert wanted him to meet with Shubert’s uncle at the Armadillo bar in Canon with a photo showing Canady had been, “taken care of.”

Keller said he contacted Franklin County Chief Investigator Jimmy LeCroy, but denied
trying to make a deal with investigators in exchange for the information and reduced charges.

Keller was later denied bond.

The defense noted some of Keller’s charges had been dropped months later, but Keller said that was not because of the information he gave LeCroy.

“I got nothing,” he told the court. “I’m serving 10 of a 20-year sentence on the aggravated assault charge. I got no deals.”

Another witness, Jamie Certan, was in jail with Shubert in April 2014 and said Shubert offered him up to $8,000 to, “neutralize” Canady.

Certan told the court Shubert said Canady was the only one who could link him to Cooner’s murder and he had to be prevented from testifying.

“He (Shubert) said Canady was going around telling everyone that he (Shubert) did it,” Certan testified.

Defense attorneys noted Certan’s lengthy felony record and that he had just been released from prison when he was re-arrested on a parole violation in April 2014. They also pointed out that Certan did ask for a deal and Certan admitted he did.

“I wanted to get home to see my family,” he said.

Certan is currently out on bond awaiting trial for burglary.

Canady did testify in court this week that he saw Shubert kill Cooner, then helped Shubert dispose of her body down an abandoned well near their home on Unawatti Road in Canon.

Canady told the court Shubert threatened to kill him and his family if told anyone what he had seen and that he had helped dispose of the body.

Canady was given immunity in exchange for his testimony and led investigators to the well where Cooner’s body was found.

Also testifying Wednesday were two guards from the Frnaklin County Detention Center who testified that in 2014 during a shake down, they found a note in Shubert’s cell containing a list of contraband items, including a rifle, a .22 handgun, shells, zip ties with a note next to it that said, “big enough for handcuffs.”

Other items on the list they said included cash, change of clothes, and various tools.

The prosecution claims the items listed are consistent with a plan Shubert had to escape the Franklin County Detention Center in an attempt to hunt down and kill Canady to prevent him from testifying.

But the defense said those items could have been connected to Shubert’s subscriptions to Popular Mechanics magazine and National Geographic, which he received while in jail, and there was no concrete evidence Shubert was planning an escape attempt.

During pre-trial motions, Shubert avoided the death penalty and agreed to a bench trial which means the case is being heard and decided by a judge, not a jury. Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Malcom is hearing the case in Superior Court in Carnesville.