EDITOR’S NOTE: In late December 2021, Devonia Inman was exonerated of the conviction that sent him to prison. He was freed after wrongly being imprisoned for 23 years.


ADEL — Nearly three years after Donna Brown, 41, was murdered while walking to her car after closing the Adel Taco Bell Sept. 19, 1998, her killer has escaped death. However, he will never be paroled.

Devonia Inman, 22, was sentenced Tuesday in Superior Court in Adel to two consecutive life terms, one without parole, as well as 30 years on other charges related to the armed robbery and murder.

The prosecution had sought the death penalty.

“Had we not sought the death penalty, we could not have gotten life without parole,” said Alapaha District Attorney Bob Ellis.

Ellis said seeking only life in prison would have left the option open for eventual parole, but by seeking death the jury had the opportunity to deny parole to Inman.