Atlanta Police Officer Sentenced for Woman's Brutal Death

ATLANTA, GA — Former Atlanta Police Officer Tahreem Rana was found guilty for the brutal murder of an Atlanta woman, the Office of the Fulton County District Attorney announced Tuesday. Rana was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 16 years, on Oct. 12.

Hapeville police reported to a city owned dumping ground on Aug. 22, 2014 after they received a report of an employee that found a body on fire.

Rana, who was a police officer at the time, met the victim online. She was identified as Vernecia Woodard, 26.

Rana fatally shot Woodard in her head, and then doused her body with gasoline and set it on fire. He then disposed of her body at the dump. Rana lived less than a mile away from the dump, police said.

Woodard's cell phone tower logs show she got to Hapeville shortly after she spoke with Rana on the night of the murder, and DNA on Rana's service weapon was an exact match to Woodard.

Rana was found guilty of Murder, Felony Murder, Tampering with Evidence, Concealing Death of Another, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Arson of Land, and four counts of Violation of Office.

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