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Perera v. State

The State properly proved venue in Douglas County, since the victim's body was discovered there and it could not be determined whether his death occurred there or elsewhere.

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Following a joint jury trial regarding the murder of Robert Scott Burdette and the related arson committed by burning Burdette’s car with his body inside, co-defendants Emily Margaret Perera1 and Miguel Angel Alma2 appeal their convictions, contending, among other things, that the evidence was insufficient to support their verdicts and that respective trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm in both cases.

In the light most favorable to the verdicts, the record shows that, on the night of May 1, 2006, police officers in Douglas County discovered Burdette’s body in the back seat of his burning car. Burdette had been gagged with duct tape, and an electrical cord was wrapped around his neck. In addition, he showed signs of blunt force injuries to his head and bruising on his face. An investigator with the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner’s Office concluded that the fire was intentionally set by dousing the interior of Burdette’s car with gasoline and setting it ablaze.

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