ATLANTA — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said Wednesday that she has been informed the Cherokee County case involving Robert Aaron Long, charged with multiple counts of murder following shootings at three Atlanta-area spas, is expected to be resolved at an arraignment next week.
“In my world that means they’ve reached a deal,” said Willis, who cited a lawyer involved with the case as her source. In anticipation of such an announcement, Willis filed a motion Monday in Fulton County Superior Court to have Long transported to a Fulton jail to await his arraignment on four remaining counts of murder and other charges including aggravated assault, domestic terrorism and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony. Willis said she plans to pursue the death penalty and hate crime charges — six of the eight people killed were Asian women.
In a statement, Cyndi Crossland, the spokesperson for Cherokee DA Shannon Wallace, said Wallace was “ethically prohibited from discussing any type of plea negotiation.” She added the “arraignment/hearing” is set for July 28.
In May, Cherokee prosecutors indicted Long on four counts of murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and criminal damage to property in the first degree. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reached out to Long’s attorney, J. Daran Burns, for comment.
In a statement following the announcement of the indictments, Wallace said, “Today we have taken another step forward in seeking justice for the victims of this crime and for their family members.”
Investigators believe the killing spree started at Youngs Asian Massage near Acworth, where five people were shot, four fatally. Ashley Yaun, 33, Paul Andre Michels, 54, Xiaojie Tan, 49, and Daoyou Feng, 44, all died from their injuries.
From there, Long is accused of driving 30 miles to Atlanta, where he again targeted spas, police said.
Atlanta officers were called to a report of a robbery at the Gold Spa on Piedmont Road. Inside, officers found three women dead from gunshot wounds. While investigating that incident, officers were informed shots were fired across the street at the Aromatherapy Spa. There, investigators found another woman shot to death.
Yong Ae Yue, 63, Soon Chung Park, 74, Suncha Kim, 69, and Hyun Jung Grant, 51, were killed in the Atlanta attacks.
Long was arrested later that night in Crisp County, about 150 miles south of Atlanta. Cherokee police said he admitted to the shootings, telling them he was overwhelmed by a sexual addiction that clashed with his strict religious upbringing.
Willis said loved ones of the Atlanta victims have yet to see Long appear in a Fulton courtroom.
“I don’t want them to wait any longer than they possibly have to,” said Willis, who has asked Fulton Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville to schedule an arraignment for Long on or before Aug. 6.
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