DA MARIE BRODER REPORTS ON UPSON CO MURDER TRIAL

 MARIE G. BRODER

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Griffin Judicial Circuit

06/09/23

On Thursday, June 8, 2023, after a four-day jury trial in Upson County, Shekhar Rao Suryavamsham, a 39-year-old man from Thomaston, was found guilty of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Knife During the Commission of a Felony. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ben J. Miller in the Upson County Superior Court to serve life in prison with the possibility of parole for the murder plus five years to serve consecutively to the life sentence for the Possession of a Knife During the Commission of a Felony. The State was represented by Assistant District Attorney Audrey D. Holliday and Jonathan P. Richardson. The Thomaston Police Department, led by Cpt. Monica Snipes, investigated this case.

The case stemmed from Shekhar Suryavamsham having a perceived business dispute with the victim, Mohammed “Seth” Mohiuddin. In the early morning hours of November 1, 2020, Suryavamsham, armed with a knife, which he was not known to carry, and having the intent to harm Mohiuddin, went to the home of Mohiuddin on Crawley Street in Thomaston to confront him about this perceived dispute. Gopichand Pinnaka road with Suryavamsham to Crawley Street. Mohiuddin met Suryavamsham outside of his home and after a brief exchange of words, a fist fight between the two ensued. Within approximately two minutes of this fight, Suryavamsham drew his knife and stabbed Mohiuddin three times, slashed his wrist almost to the bone and caused other lacerations. Suryavamsham immediately drove away from the scene, dropped Pinnaka off at his home and then hid his vehicle behind a vacant house on Greene Street. Mohiuddin was able to make a dying declaration to officers and EMTs on scene about the two men who had come to his home and a witness on scene was able to identify a possible suspect vehicle. Cpt. Snipes and her team were able to identify the suspect vehicle and the Defendant within a few hours. Key evidence in this case was the victim’s blood and DNA on Suryavamsham’s clothing and the victim’s blood and DNA on a folding knife located in the Defendant’s hidden vehicle as well as witness testimony. Seth, a native of India, had resided in this Thomaston for over a decade and was a loved member of this community.

“Preparing for this trial took months and was a amazing team effort. I am grateful to the members of the Thomaston Police Department, ADA Richardson, Victim-Advocates Shirley Reeves and Hannah Kennedy, Investigator Rick Reeves, and Samantha Smith of the District Attorney’s Office for all their hard work and long hours preparing this case for trial.” ADA Holliday stated. She continued by stating, “this community cannot tolerate the actions of individuals like Shekhar Suryavamsham who brings a knife with an intention to harm to a fist fight, and the citizens of Upson County agreed when issuing the guilty verdicts.”

“I echo the sentiments of ADA Holliday. My office will continue to tell those in this Circuit that are inclined to resolve conflict with violence that we will not tolerate it and that we will continuously fight for justice for victims of violent crimes” District Attorney Marie Broder said of the crime. “I am so proud of my team on this case, and my offices will continue to partner with law enforcement to ensure that those that commit violent crimes are held responsible for their actions.