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1994 killer in Covington has chance for release
Monroe mayor pens letter of opposition
Rhonda Vining
Rhonda Vining - photo by Special to The Covington News

COVINGTON, Ga. — A woman who was convicted of the murder of her ex-boyfriend has a chance at getting out of prison.

Rhonda Rene Vining was found guilty of killing Rodney Spence Singleton on Dec. 14, 1994, in Covington.

She pleaded guilty to felony murder and was sentenced to life in prison.

Vining is currently serving a life sentence at Arrendale State Prison in northeast Georgia.

Vining was 21 and a student at Emory University when she chased Singleton down and shot him in the upper torso.

Covington police were called to a location in the 5110 block of Emory Street Northwest, where they found Singleton on the ground with gunshot wounds.

Vining was at the home they had shared on Hillside Drive, where their argument had begun. She barricaded herself inside the home and threatened suicide, and at one point set fire to the home.

However, after negotiations with a Covington police sergeant, Vining gave up and exited the home through a window and was arrested.

Singleton later died at Newton General Hospital, now Piedmont Newton Hospital.

Covington News archives show Vining had a record of violent behavior, including a conviction of beating a woman in the face a few years prior to shooting Singleton.

The relationship between Vining and Singleton reportedly was a rocky one, with her allegedly filing a false police report in an attempt to keep him from leaving her.

Vining initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. It was revealed she left the home she and Singleton shared and went to her parents’ home in Wray, Georgia, to get a gun and returned to Newton County to confront Singleton.

Testimony at trial indicated bullets recovered at the scene matched those from the gun.

Vining agreed to plead guilty to felony murder in Newton County Superior Court.

In a letter to people with a stake in the case, the Georgia Office of Victim Services gave notice that Vining has been recommended for work release through the state Department of Corrections. That program is a transitional environment prior to release from prison.

Should Vining do well in work release, she could be released to community supervision.

Monroe Mayor John Howard, who was friends with Singelton when both were students at George Walton Academy, has written a letter opposing Vining’s release.

Howard wrote that he opposes release for Vining because the Singleton family and his friends “have been sentenced to life” without him, and the mayor argued their sentence shouldn’t be more than hers.

Howard also said he thinks incarceration isn’t a good gauge of how Vining would act in open society, and that Monroe is close to where Vining lived before the crime.

“I have major concerns about the safety and well-being of our community and its people,” he wrote. “We are moving at light-speed building a successful, safe community, and there is absolutely no way she would ever be welcome in our town.”

People who wish to make a statement on the proposed change in Vining’s status may contact Director Rita Rocker at 800-593-9474 or 404-651-6668, or write victimservices@pap.ga.gov.

Man pleas guilty to 2020 stabbing murder of his wife
Arrief McKenzie
Arrief McKenzie (Photo courtesy of Gwinnett County Police Department)

NEWTON COUNTY — A Gwinnett County man has pled guilty to murdering his wife in Newton County.

In a social media post, the Newton County District Attorney’s Office stated that on Monday afternoon, Arrief McKenzie pled guilty to the 2020 murder of his wife, Niki McKenzie. 

Arrief is reportedly pleading guilty to all charges. His charges are malice murder, felony murder, burglary in the first degree, home invasion in the first degree, family violence aggravated assault, aggravated stalking and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony. 

The court scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 24 and 25. The maximum sentence Arrief could face would be life without parole, plus an additional life sentence as well as an additional 20 years. 

Though the State previously filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Arrief, the notice was recently withdrawn as an agreement was reached where Arrief waived his right to trial by jury.

As a result, a bench trial was set for the week of March 24, where a judge would determine Arrief’s guilt or innocence. But upon Arrief’s submission of a guilty plea, this trial no longer will take place and the court will move ahead with sentencing.

In early 2020, Arrief had been barred in two court orders from contacting Niki, 51, or visiting her residence — which was on Keyton Drive in Covington. One order was a temporary protective order and the other was a sentencing order. This was in place because of Arrief’s 2019 guilty plea to family violence battery against his wife.

Around 7 a.m. on March 3, 2020, Niki prepared to leave her home to go to work. When she opened the garage door, Arrief attacked her, stabbing her several times with a knife. Niki died from her injuries.

According to the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office, Arrief had already attacked and killed another woman that same morning, who is believed to have been an ex-girlfriend. Jillian Myles-Walters, 36, was killed in unincorporated Lawrenceville sometime before 6 a.m. and found by Gwinnett County officers. 

Arrief was detained later that same day by Dunwoody police during a traffic stop, and the murder weapon was located in his vehicle. It is believed that Arrief killed Myles-Walters in Lawrenceville, then drove to Covington where he sought and killed Niki.

Arrief continues to face murder charges in Gwinnett County for the murder of Myles-Walters. That case is pending