Murder charges dropped against Savannah man

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - After spending two years in jail waiting for trial in a 2021 Savannah murder case, the state of Georgia has dropped its charges against Marquis Parrish.

Parrish maintained his innocence from the start.

The detective who put Parrish behind bars is being investigated by her own department. Parrish said he’s not done fighting to clear his name.

The 29-year-old says he has nothing to hide and that he plans to take legal action against everyone who put him behind bars.

“An innocent man has nothing to hide, so he will go all the way with it. And I’m going to go all the way with it,” Parrish said.

Parrish is not just a free man, he’s now officially an innocent man. This motion in Chatham County Superior Court Friday put it on the record.

The state of Georgia has dropped all charges against Parrish related to the 2021 murder of 23-year-old Charles Vinson.

The motion specifically says the state finds Parrish’s account “truthful” and that it cannot prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

This all comes as the Savannah Police Department investigates the detective who helped put Parrish behind bars - Cpl. Ashley Wood.

Wood is currently on administrative leave.

Parrish’s attorneys accuse her of making up evidence, lying about seeing Parrish on surveillance video, and ultimately framing their client. Stealing two years of his life.

“I had a kid that was born during the time I was locked up. I missed his birth. When I came out, they did not know my name. He couldn’t even recognize me. I watched my kids grow on a screen for two years. I have five kids, I watched them grow on a screen. Nobody can give me back that time,” Parrish said.

Parrish hopes other cases Cpl. Wood was involved in, will be looked at again.

“My main concern is this detective. I need this detective off the streets,” he said.

The Savannah Police Department confirms its internal investigation into Cpl. Wood is ongoing.

Parrish was asked why the other suspects would go out of their way to name him. The father of five says he doesn’t know but insists he had nothing to do with this crime.

He said he’d never even heard of Charles Vinson until authorities showed up at his front door, to arrest him for Vinson’s death.

Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.