In the spring of 1992, a wave of terror gripped Cobb County, Georgia, leaving a trail of violence and shattered lives. One of the victims in this tragic series of events was a 22-year-old Middle Eastern/Arab man from Marietta named Al-Tariq Shasheed. His life was cut short on March 31, 1992, when he became a casualty of a violent crime spree that had been unfolding in the area for months.
The man responsible for this string of brutal crimes was identified as Ronald Freeman.
Between January and March of that year, Freeman engaged in a series of robberies and homicides that terrorized the community. Shasheed was one of four people known to have been killed by Freeman during this period. The other victims of this deadly rampage were Rakesh Patel, Terri Waddell, and 16-year-old Chet Plantard. Each of their deaths marked another grim chapter in Freeman's violent spree, leaving families and the community to grapple with the senseless loss of life.
Following an investigation into the murders, Ronald Freeman was apprehended and brought to justice. For his crimes, he was convicted and is currently serving a sentence of life in prison plus 60 years at Calhoun State Prison. Despite the lengthy sentence, the pain for the victims' families was reignited with the news that Freeman could become eligible for parole. This possibility has led the families of his victims to advocate against his release, seeking to ensure that he remains incarcerated for the devastation he caused.
