Plea Deal Near For Metro Atlanta Massage Parlor Shooting Suspect

METRO ATLANTA, GA — An arraignment is expected next week to resolve the Cherokee County case against the man charged in the deadly massage parlor shootings in March, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis gave the paper that update on Wednesday.

Two grand juries in Fulton and Cherokee counties indicted Robert Aaron Long in May after the shootings at metro Atlanta massage parlors that killed eight March 16.

Long, 22, of Woodstock, was charged in connection with the shooting at Young's Asian Massage in Acworth, and at the Aroma Therapy Spa and the Gold Spa in Atlanta.

“In my world that means they’ve reached a deal,” Willis told the AJC, referencing a lawyer who is involved with the case.

On Monday, Willis, "filed a motion Monday in Fulton County Superior Court to have Long transported to a Fulton jail to await his arraignment on four remaining counts of murder and other charges including aggravated assault, domestic terrorism and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony," the AJC reported.

Cherokee District Attorney spokeswoman Cyndi Crossland told the AJC that District Attorney Shannon Wallace was “ethically prohibited from discussing any type of plea negotiation.” The arraignment will be July 27, a spokesperson Cherokee County District Attorney Shannon Wallace told Patch.

A Fulton County grand jury indicted Long on May 11 in the killings of Suncha Kim, 69; Soon Chung Park, 74; Hyun Jung Grant, 51; and Yong Ae Yue, 63, all of whom were shot at the Gold Spa or Aroma Therapy Spa in Atlanta.

Willis, who filed the indictment, also filed notice May 11 that she will be seeking hate crime charges and the death penalty against Long.

The Associated Press reported that the online records of the indictment charges Long with four counts of murder, four counts of felony murder, five counts of assault with a deadly weapon, four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and one count of domestic terrorism.

Long also is accused of fatally shooting Xiaojie "Emily" Tan, 49; Daoyou Feng, 44; Delaina Yaun, 33; and Paul Michels, 54, at Young's Asian Massage in Cherokee County.

A Cherokee County grand jury indicted Long on four counts of malice murder, four counts felony murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, 11 counts aggravated assault, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and criminal damage to property in the first degree.

For more on the Atlanta and Acworth Massage Spa shootings:

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• Massage Parlor Investigation Continues Despite Confession: Police
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• Atlanta Spa Killings Elicit Grief, Resolve from AAPI Legislators
• Metro Atlanta Massage Parlor Shootings: 5 Things To Know
• 8 Killed In 3 Massage Parlor Shootings, 1 Arrested: Police
• Atlanta Massage Parlor Shootings 9-1-1 Calls Released
• Spa Shootings A Platform For Biden To Deliver On Unity Promise