Lengthy trial expected for Robins airman charged with murder of pregnant fiancee

Jan. 09--A Robins Air Force Base airman charged with murder in the shooting of his pregnant fiancee was in court Monday, but selection of a jury may take some time.

Charles Amos Wilson III, 30, a support member of the 461st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, is charged with premeditated murder in the fatal shooting of Tameda Ferguson, 30, at her Dawson home in August 2013. He is also charged with death of an unborn child.

Ferguson was 8 and a half months pregnant. The alleged motive was insurance money.

Jury selection for the court-martial was delayed after severe weather created travel difficulties for military personnel called upon to be considered.

Prosecution and defense attorneys argued pretrial motions and discussed other trial-related issues, such as witness testimony, on Monday.

Selection of a military panel, whose members will serve as jurors, is now expected to start Tuesday. That process may take up to two weeks, with the trial expected to take several weeks, according to a Robins response to a Jan. 4 Telegraph inquiry.

The case is being heard in the Houston County Courthouse. Col. Vance H. Spath, chief trial judge for the Air Force, is presiding.

After an investigation by the GBI and the Terrell County Sheriff's Office, Wilson was arrested on charges of murder and feticide two days after the shooting.

The case was later turned over to the Air Force at its request. Wilson's military charges include premeditated murder and death of an unborn child.

He may face the death penalty if convicted of premeditated murder.

The trial will mark the third court-martial proceeding against Wilson.

In the first court-martial proceeding, Wilson was found not guilty June 2 of felony murder, aggravated arson and related charges in in the death of a friend in an October 2011 house fire in an alleged insurance fraud scheme.

In the second court-martial proceeding, jurors convicted Wilson on June 10 of striking a retired technical sergeant, who was his girlfriend at the time of the 2012 incident.

Becky Purser: 478-256-9559, @BecPurser

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