A Chattooga County jury has returned a guilty verdict in a murder case in Summerville, Ga. Angela Rachelle Rowland, 54, was convicted in less than 20 minutes of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
On Dec. 30, 2019, Ms. Rowland accused the victim, Ronald Moates, of infidelity in their relationship.
After striking the victim and afflicting at least 10 different injuries, Ms. Rowland retrieved a firearm from her bedroom and fired five shots at Moates striking him twice in the chest. Moates died prior to emergency personnel arriving. The defendant’s accusations of infidelity, her acts of domestic violence, and the shooting were captured on a surveillance camera outside of the home on Kelly Street in Summerville.
The surveillance camera footage and crime scene investigation conflicted with several parts of a statement Ms. Rowland made to investigators on the night of the shooting, authorities said.
The case was investigated by Captain Brian Ozment of the Summerville Police Department. Captain Ozment was assisted in the investigation by Detective Ty Hutchins of the Summerville Police Department, Agent Steve Rogers, Jr. and Agent Jeremy Brannen of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit (LMJC) Assistant District Attorneys Bruce Roberts and Clayton Fuller presented the case over five days. The jury returned a verdict of guilty on all counts.
“Without the diligence and dedication to duty of Captain Brian Ozment, the Summerville Police
Department, and the GBI - this defendant could have gotten away with murder,” said Chris Arnt, LMJC District Attorney. “Their thorough investigation left no stone unturned and led to the investigators discovering the truth in this case.”
DA Arnt commended his team’s work including Victim Advocate Cara Parris, Administrative Assistant Jennifer McLamb, Investigator Eric Sliz, and Chief Assistant District Attorney Kevin Baugh whose efforts on the case ensured a conviction. Arnt also praised the efforts of the trial attorney’s ADA Clayton Fuller and ADA Bruce Roberts who he said did an excellent job presenting the evidence to the jury in an effective and compelling fashion.
“As other prosecutors across the country struggle to address the rise in violent crime in their communities, my team and I will never tolerate such acts in our community. The investigative team put together a strong case, and I’m proud of the work that our office did in the courtroom,” said DA Arnt. “Murder and domestic violence have no place here in Northwest Georgia, and I pray that bringing Ronnie’s murderer to justice brings some measure of peace to the Moates family.”