State Seeks Death Penalty for Cumming Man

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case of a man accused of shooting the mother of his two children during a .

of Cumming was arraigned today on eight charges: murder, two counts of felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, two counts of cruelty to children and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.

Authorities said Erdman, 25, allegedly shot Shannon Lawrence of Canton four times in the face and neck on June 5 as the two met in a bank parking lot across from the Birmingham Crossroads shopping center in Milton. Erdman and Lawrence, who never married, used the shopping center as the drop-off point when exchanging their two children. Lawrence, 25, died at in Cumming.

Lawrence's mother and father emailed separate statements to Canton-Sixes Patch this afternoon. Diana Macksey said today's development "was a victory for my beautiful daughter.

" is rampant and an epidemic in our country. Our family, my child and her babies are a victim of this violence. Today the system recognized this heinous crime against her."

Randall Lawrence said his "prayer is that Shannon's death and story will be seen around the world and understood by other women that are being abused by their partner.

"It is ill-fated when a woman accepts abuse from a man of any kind, be it verbal, emails, texts, or the most violent in physical abuse. I pray that these women will reach out and be given the strength to recognize the signs of abuse and to break the bond that endangers their lives and those they love."

Stay tuned to cumming.patch.com for updates on this developing story.