MACON, Ga. — A former Bibb County Schools administrator Edward Judie avoided jail time after pleading guilty Wednesday to concealing the death of his wife Joyce Judie back in 2019.
“I wish there was a magic word I could say to make everybody feel better, but I can’t,” Judge Howard Simms said.
Judie — who was facing murder charges — did not speak during the hearing, but his attorney Gregory Bushway spoke and called Joyce's death “a tragedy.”
“Mr. Judie lost his wife of 24 years,” he said. “Mr. Judie still prays for Ms. Judie.”
Because of his plea, Judie avoided serving any prison time and instead received only 10 years probation, senior Bibb Superior Judge Howard Simms decided.
As the state recommended Judie avoid jail time, members of Joyce's family cried in the gallery. In the front row on the state's side was Macon District Attorney Anita Howard, and Joyce's family was behind her.
After the decision, Joyce’s family read a statement before the judge.
“Murderers and criminals are supposed to be brought to justice… What does that mean for Joyce Judie,” they said. “Where’s the justice for my mother's slaying?”
Judie, who served as deputy superintendent of student affairs at Bibb County Schools from 2011 to 2015, was originally indicted on murder charges. Prosecutors argued Judie injected a lethal dose of cocaine into his wife’s system. Judie’s attorney said there was no proof of that.
However, prosecutors filed the lesser charge of concealing his wife’s death last Wednesday – a week to the day of Judie’s guilty plea.
In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped the other charges against Judie, which included murder and distribution of cocaine.
He originally said that he had been drinking with his wife on the night that Joyce died. When his wife stopped responding, he told investigators he went to bed, assuming she was just asleep.
The Macon District Attorney's Office said that evidence used to indict Judie had changed, including witness testimony throwing into question who was there at the time of Judie's death.
In short, it meant that the evidence was no longer there to prevail had the case gone to trial, prosecutor Michael Parrish said.
"We understand that emotions are understandably running high. They [the family] disagree with our legal analysis of the case," Parrish said. "The evidence we have does not support the charges."
Another person also faces murder charges in Joyce Judie's death. Aliyah Walker was also indicted on felony murder and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, which Judie was also charged with.
She pleaded not guilty in 2022, and according to court records, it is unclear where the case stands at this time.