ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned a former Atlanta police officer facing murder charges contacted the victim on Craigslist for sex.
Tahreem Zeus Rana, 23, had a hearing Friday afternoon at the Fulton County Courthouse.
He was working at the Atlanta Police Department when Hapeville police issued an arrest warrant for him on murder and arson charges in August.
Investigators said Rana was the last person to talk to Vernicia Woodard, a 26-year-old mother of an 8-year-old girl.
Rana admitted he contacted her on the advertisement website to hire her for sex, but decided not to go to the location because it was too far.
"He stated that he had been using the site for about six to eight months; that he was commonly looking for a girl that was 'clean and cheap' was his statement," said Hapeville Police Detective Jason Dyer.
Police said Woodard was shot three times and set on fire. Her body was found Aug. 22 on Elm Street in Hapeville.
Dyer testified that investigators found shell casings at the scene that matched casings found at his home.
Surveillance at the motel where the victim lived also showed a car that matched Rana’s, police said.
Police did not say what led Rana to shoot Woodard.
The victim’s aunt asked the court to deny bond. Rana remains in custody at Fulton County Jail.