In the late summer of 2014, the city of Shreveport, Louisiana, was rocked by the violent death of a well-known local business owner. Angela Godley, a 53-year-old woman, was discovered deceased in her Shreve Island home on September 10, 2014. An investigation by the Shreveport Police Department revealed that she had been shot multiple times. The tragic event marked the end of a life that was deeply embedded in the community.
Godley was the proprietor of The Noble Savage Tavern, a popular downtown establishment.
As detectives delved into the circumstances surrounding her death, their attention quickly focused on a person of interest: Mark Edward Colby, Godley's live-in romantic partner and a partner in her business. Investigators learned that Godley and Colby had been seen together at the tavern in the early morning hours of the day her body was found. The investigation uncovered a troubled relationship, with evidence suggesting that Godley had been planning to end her personal involvement with Colby and have him move out of their shared residence.
Following the discovery of Godley's body, Colby fled the area, prompting a manhunt. His attempt to evade justice was short-lived, as authorities tracked him to a hotel in Mexico just a few days later, and he was taken into custody. Colby was subsequently charged with the second-degree murder of Angela Godley. The legal proceedings that followed painted a grim picture of their relationship, with prosecutors presenting evidence of prior domestic disputes and threats. Colby's defense team argued that he had acted in self-defense, a claim the prosecution vehemently disputed.
In March 2017, after a thorough trial, a Caddo Parish jury took only about an hour to deliberate before returning a guilty verdict against Mark Colby for the second-degree murder of Angela Godley. Following his conviction, Colby was sentenced to life in prison without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his life behind bars for the murder of his former girlfriend and business partner. His conviction and sentence were later affirmed upon appeal.
