SUMTER COUNTY, Ga. (Court TV) — The lead prosecutor in Trinity Poague’s murder case said she never blamed the victim’s father during the investigation.
On Friday, a Georgia jury found Poague guilty of felony murder and other charges in the death of 18-month-old Romeo Angeles, also known as “Jaxton Dru.” A judge sentenced the former beauty pageant queen to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
Trinity Poague cries as the verdict is read on Dec. 5, 2025. (Court TV)
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Poague sobbed in the courtroom as the verdict was read. The jury acquitted her on one count of malice murder but convicted her on five other counts, including two counts of felony murder.
Lead prosecutor Lewis Lamb told Court TV’s Julie Grant that Poague gave approximately five different stories about what happened to her boyfriend’s son before settling on a final version that combined multiple explanations.
“Her final version of her alibi, I guess, was that the child rolled off of the air mattress sometime and then later that night fell off of the bed and then the next morning fell off the chair,” Lamb said.
The prosecutor said Poague never pointed the finger at J.D.’s father, Julian Williams, who was thoroughly investigated and cleared of any involvement.
Lamb said in the 8 hours after finding out his son had died, Williams spent 4 hours sitting at a police station, and authorities “went after him as hard as they went after her in the initial round of interviews.”
Lamb emphasized that videos and photographs taken of J.D. before Williams left him alone with Poague showed the child in good health, with no bruising or marks.
“It became clear that he was not involved at all,” Lamb said of the investigation.
When asked his theory of how J.D. died, Lamb said he believes Poague “lost it” when the baby was crying and upset after his father left, reiterating the evidence showed Poague had made it clear she didn’t like the child.
Lamb said the medical examiner testified that J.D. had a fresh mark on his face compatible with either a hard grip or a slap across the face. Citing J.D.’s extensive internal injuries, Lamb said the medical examiner hypothesized the child was picked up by his shoulders and slammed down really hard against an object.
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