The city of Atlanta can breathe easier today: Charman Sinkfield, 30, the suspected triggerman in the shooting death of champion boxer Vernon Forrest, was arrested last night by U.S. Marshals. As the city slept, Sinkfield was booked into the Fulton County jail overnight. He is charged with murder, aggravated assault and armed robbery with a deadly weapon. His first court appearance is scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the jail.
Police say Sinkfield is the man seen on a Whitehall Street Chevron station’s surveillance camera exiting a red Pontiac and walking toward the McDaniel Street side to act as look out for Damario Ware, 20, who robbed Forrest as he put air in the tires of his Jaguar.
Moments later, Forrest retrieved a gun from his waistband and chased Ware for three blocks on foot. Forrest encountered Sinkfield in the street outside the Mechanicsville apartments after losing sight of Ware. Sinkfield convinced the boxer that he was not the man who robbed him. As Forrest turned to walk away, Sinkfield shot him 7 or 8 times in the back.
Sinkfield is the third man arrested in the case that made national headlines. Ware is in custody along with Jquante Crews, 25, the driver of the Pontiac. Police believe only 3 men were involved in the crime.
Police received numerous tips from the public naming Sinkfield and Ware after Forrest’s case was aired on America’s Most Wanted. Detectives staked out a home in southwest Atlanta where they knew Sinkfield was hiding out. At around 9 p.m. Wednesday, 12 unmarked police cars trailed a black sedan with Sinkfield in the back seat from Nathan Street to I-20.
The sedan was forced to pull over on I-20 near Hamilton E. Holmes Drive where Sinkfield was taken into custody. He was one of three men in the car. The driver was also arrested on an unrelated incident. At one point, police say, Sinkfield tried to disguise himself with a wig.
Sinkfield has a lengthy arrest record and served three terms in state prisons, including a 2-year sentence for cocaine possession. He was last released from prison in December 2007.
We need a three strikes law in Georgia to keep these repeat criminals off our streets.
