THOMASVILLE — A jury trial has been set for the murder suspect of the July 2018 killing of a Thomasville woman. 

Robert Carter is expected to stand trial on January 24 facing a 21-count indictment, according to Southern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Brad Shealy.

“We tried earlier this year but COVID took us, so it wasn’t the best thing to do,” he said. 

Carter is charged with the murder of Deanna Shirey, a 70-year-old Thomasville woman whose remains were found on July 13 wrapped in her own comforter buried in Carter’s backyard.  

Shirey had been missing from her Glenwood Drive home since July 1.

Carter is also suspected of assaulting and robbing another Thomasville woman and holding an Ochlocknee family hostage, all within five days of Shirey’s disappearance. 

Carter’s 21-count indictment includes felony murder, five counts of false imprisonment, financial transaction card theft, concealing the death of another, two counts of theft by taking, four counts of kidnapping, four counts of armed robbery, first-degree burglary, sexual battery and criminal attempt to commit a felony.

Carter has been held in the Thomas County jail without bond since he was arrested in 2018.