Savannah detective accused of lying during murder case has been fired

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A Savannah Police Department detective that was accused of falsifying information during a murder case has been terminated.

Cpl. Ashely Wood was accused by defense attorneys of lying and making up evidence in a 2021 murder case. Charges against one of the suspects, Marquis Parrish, were recently dropped.

“We’re here today because the DA’s office found a discrepancy in the report and the BWC footage that we need to get some clarification on.”

Audio recordings play the moment Corporal Ashley Wood was questioned about a report she filed following the 20-21 shooting death of Charles Vinson.

A letter to the Savannah Police Department from the district attorney’s office pointed out *this* interaction with a woman who was injured in that shooting.

The DA’s office says Wood wrote in a report that the woman saw one of the suspects grab a gun and leave and later started shooting towards her apartment.

The letter goes on to say detective Wood’s bodycam did not capture this witness actually saying that.

Wood is later heard admitting to not watching her body cam video in this audio recording.

“I realize that what I typed is not what is on the BWC. I typed that off of memory and I did not watch the BWC before I typed that paragraph.”

The recordings later play when Wood was questioned about a report she wrote that said she saw the co-defendants at Walmart.

“That part was based off of Carlos’ statements maybe?”

“I don’t remember exactly the video. I just remembers that she was checking them out. I haven’t watched that video in Lord knows how long.”

Earlier this year lawyers for Marquis Parrish who was charged in Vinson’s death asked a judge to throw out some of this evidence from Wood.

Parrish’s lawyers said the information used to get search warrants in the case wasn’t true.

State prosecutors eventually dropped the charges against Parrish.

Detective Wood was placed under internal investigation and according to a separation record was fired on July 17th.

The notice says Wood violated policies related to ethics and court protocol.

Savannah Police Chief Lenny Gunther provided the following statement: “The City of Savannah does not comment on personnel actions. However, the Savannah Police Department holds all employees to a high standard of ethics and integrity, and should anyone not meet those standards they will be subject to discipline, which can include termination.”

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