Kriti Mehrotra
When Atlanta socialite Lita McClinton Sullivan was shot to death at the doorstep of her own home on January 1, 1987, it honestly left the entire nation shaken to its core. That’s because, as explored in ABC’s ’20/20: A Puzzling Murder,’ not only was she the daughter of local politicians, but it also took over 11 years for her perpetrators to even be identified. We say perpetrators because there were two individuals involved: her estranged husband, James Sullivan, and the man he had hired to shoot her dead on a fateful day, Phillip Anthony “Tony” Harwood.
Phillip Anthony “Tony” Harwood Was Incriminated By His Girlfriend
Although not much regarding Phillip’s early years, upbringing, or lifestyle is public knowledge, we do know he was a long-haul truck driver from North Carolina back in the 1980s. It thus comes as no surprise he was able to travel from one place to another and be away from his home for long periods without raising suspicions, only to somehow get caught in a weird web. According to records, he had once helped James Sullivan move some furniture into his home in Atlanta, Georgia, which then led to them having an acquaintance of sorts.
However, everything turned upside down on January 1, 1987, when James’ estranged wife was fatally shot in the entrance of that same home by someone bearing a dozen long-stemmed pink roses. According to records, it was around 8:15 in the morning when the killer rang her doorbell to draw her to the door, only for her to be able to see nothing but the roses when she looked through the peephole. So, as she opened the door, the shooter immediately took action, firing directly at her head before turning and escaping the scene as quickly as possible.
What’s imperative to note is that a hearing for Lita and James’ divorce was scheduled for later that day – she had filed for divorce a day after finding another woman’s linger on their bed. However, it wasn’t until Phillip’s then-girlfriend came forward in 1998 to state that she was with him when James handed him $25,000 in cash to kill Lita that the dots were connected. Authorities then came to believe the victim’s estranged husband had ordered her murder so as to protect his finances, property, as well as reputation by not actually getting a divorce.
Phillip Anthony “Tony” Harwood Pleaded Guilty
It was in May 1998 that Phillip was indicted on charges of malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of burglary in connection with Lisa Sullivan’s 1987 case. As for James, he apparently fled to Thailand that same year, where he was apprehended four years later in 2002. However, despite having initially pled not guilty to the charges against him, Phillip decided to negotiate with the prosecutors following James’ arrest and their clear declaration that they would be seeking the death penalty if he is found guilty after trial.
Therefore, in February 2003, Phillip pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of one count of voluntary manslaughter in exchange for testifying against his co-defendant, James Sullivan. He was also given a sentence of 20 years in state prison with credit for time already served – 4+ years. This actually remained the same even though he didn’t technically hold up his end of the bargain. That’s because when he took the stands during James’ trial, he maintained his innocence, asserting that while he did take money to kill Lita, he was not actually the gunman who pulled the trigger on her.
Nevertheless, in 2006, James was found guilty following a day of deliberations and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the charge of murder. Since then, though, Phillips’ defense attorney has told People that while he “proclaimed his innocence,… we would not have entered a plea if we did not believe that the state had sufficient evidence of guilt to sustain a conviction. However, as in any case where the state’s potential punishment is the death penalty or life in prison, the sentence Mr. Sullivan received, the pressure to accept a plea deal is strong.” In other words, Phillip still maintains his innocence.
Phillip Anthony “Tony” Harwood is a Free Man Leading a Quiet Life Today
Phillip did file an out-of-time appeal in 2009 in the hopes of getting an early release, but it was denied. So, it was only on May 25, 2018, that he was released from Georgia’s Coastal State Prison after having served his sentence in full – 20 years with credit for time served – meaning he was a free man. He was under probation for a while, considering the fact he spent two decades of his life removed from society, but even that has since concluded, and it appears as if he has since chosen to lead a life well away from the limelight. So, all we know is that this 70-something-year-old is now based in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina, where loved ones surround him at every step of the way. In other words, he seems to be doing his best to move on from the past to the best of his abilities.
Read More: Elizabeth Sullivan’s Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?
