Clayton sheriff still investigating how Fulton murder suspect was mistakenly released

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Clayton County Sheriff Levon Allen says they are currently investigating how a murder suspect was mistakenly released from the Clayton County Jail.

Zion Shaka, 30, had a court hearing scheduled in Clayton County last week and was sent into the custody of the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office with instructions that he was to be returned to Fulton County following the hearing. The hearing occurred on January 22 and Shaka was released that same day.

A spokesperson for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Zion River Shaka, 30, has been in the Fulton County Jail since 2020.

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Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln asked Sheriff Allen why his office did not notify the public about this incident.

“Prior to it going out public, we wanted to make sure it didn’t interfere with any investigation that both Clayton Fugitives and Fulton Fugitives were doing,” Allen said.

Lincoln went through Shaka’s Clayton County case and learned he violated a 2014 issued probation related to simple battery and drug charges he received after resisting arrest.

Documents reveal that Shaka’s probation was violated when he was charged with murder in 2020. Court documents also indicate Shaka also owes Clayton courts $4,224.45 in court fees not paid while on probation.

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Court documents indicate Shaka was loaned to Clayton County, by Fulton County for that probation violation hearing. After that hearing, Allen says documents show his deputy called Fulton County to ask if Shaka was their inmate. Allen says they were told Shaka was not theirs.

“What should have taken place, based on the production order, that lets us know he does not belong to us and he’s not an inmate of Clayton, so we either needed to return him to prison or the jail that he came from,” Sheriff Allen told Lincoln.

Both Fulton and Clayton counties confirm their deputies are working to locate Shaka.

Sheriff Allen says while the internal investigation is ongoing, they are currently reviewing policies to prevent this from happening again.

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