Memorials for Victims

Criminal Details

WTVY.com
April 18, 2005

One man is dead and another is in custody after a murder that took place in Ozark.

It all started around 8 o'clock Friday night when Larrison “Larry” Christian visited the Wagon Wheel Trailer Park. 21-year-old Adam James would get into an argument with Christian. A friend to James said “next thing I knew, Adam was running back in telling me he had stabbed someone and that it was self defense." After being stabbed in the chest, Christian was taken to the Dale Medical Center where he was immediately pronounced dead.

James had been living with a friend in the trailer park for the past few months. According to his friend, James and Christian got into a fight over a woman who also lived in the same trailer park. It wasn't the first time the two men had argued.

Christian’s friend doesn't agree that it was self defense, but one thing they do agree on is that the woman they were fighting over was in their words "trouble".

Since the murder, someone has vandalized the woman's car and belongings.

According to Ozark Police, the motive at this point appears to be domestic-related. James has been charged with murder and is currently in the Dale County Jail under no bond. Investigators will meet at the Dale County District Attorney's Office today.

Criminal Details

AngelizdsPlace.com
Unknown Date

Born August 8, 2004 his life would be short lived. On December 15, 2004 Phoenix Cody Parrish who was only four months old, would die at the hands of a woman who would then abandon his body at the morgue. In my imaginings, never has it come up to me that such a precious gift could be thrown away as though his life didn't matter. Cody and his sister, Jewell, had been removed from her custody and placed in the home of their uncle who was planning to adopt them. The people in the town of Dothan in Alabama weren't even aware that a child named Pheonix Cody Parrish existed until they learned of the tragedy of his death at the hands of his own mother. This small town was shocked and saddened to learn of his death.

When his crying became too much for her, Pheonix's mother slammed his head against a bed post. The baby referred to as Cody, suffered broken ribs, broken wrists and a fracture to his skull. Yet again, the very people who were supposed to care for and protect a child, have failed. Cody's mother, father, uncle and CPS should share equal blame for the death of this precious baby.

The children of Tierra Gobble were taken away from her for suspected child abuse, custody was given to their great uncle, Edgar Parrish on the grounds that he not remove them from the state of Florida and not allow their parents any contact with them. Edgar Parrish did move them away from the state of Florida and he also allowed Cody's parents to move in with him and three weeks later, Cody was dead.

The case worker assigned to Cody's case, for whatever reason, failed to report that Cody, his sister and his mother had all disappeared and he had not been able to contact or find them. Cary Felton claims he tried for weeks to get in touch with Tierra Gobble and was not.

Cary also lied when he said he had been seeing the children at their current home, at least once a month. Had he been visiting as he said he was, he would have learned that the parents had also moved in with Edgar Parrish and once gain had access to the children. This case worker was fired, but, not in time to save the life of another child.

On the morning of December 15, 2004, a call to 911 was made and it was reported that Cody was not breathing properly, he could be heard gasping for air in the background. Just before noon, Cody was taken to Southeast Alabama Medical Center, he could not be saved. During an autopsy it was revealed that Cody had five broken ribs, two broken wrists and his skull was badly fractured. Sgt. Tracey McCord said:"This 4-month-old baby was tortured from the time he was born. It's why I transferred to the vice unit. You can't help but get attached when a baby is involved."

Adding to this tragedy is the fact that no one showed up to claim the body of this precious little boy. The people in the town of Dothan were shocked by this and felt as though this baby had simply been thrown away. The man who defended Cody's mother at her trial, Tom Brantley said: "People here are old fashioned, salt-of-the-earth, Bible-reading, God fearing people who work hard to pay the bills, trying to get ahead. We go to our kids' football game and dance recitals. Here, we're very startled and upset by child deaths. Children die in Dothan, sometimes at the hands of their parents, but, rarely are they abandoned at the morgue."

I find this to be an odd statement to make considering his client obviously has no clue who God is and doesn't fear him in the least or her child would be alive and she would be loving him the way she was supposed to. Cody's mother was interviewed and during that interview, she didn't cry at all. The only person in the household who seemed to be upset at all about Cody's death, was his uncle, the one who had allowed the parents to move into his home after promising that he wouldn't. If he had kept that promise, Cody would still be alive.

Cody was buried by loving, caring, strangers who donated the clothes that he wore and money for a casket and a burial plot. Buried in a long sleeve outfit, holding a teddy bear and laying in a white, child sized coffin. There were about 100 people who came to say a final good bye to this little boy. Standing in the rain in Sunset

Memorial Park on December 23, 2004, strangers who cared more about Cody than his actual family he, said their tearful good byes to him. Some had brought flowers, some brought cards and others had brought balloons. All of them showed this little boy more love than he had ever known in his short lived life. Robert Byrd, who was the coroner at the funeral home where Cory's service had been held said that people were overcome with sadness.

Reverend Freddie McCain was the Chaplin at Byrd Funeral Home. With the service lasting less than 15 minutes, he said people just couldn't walk away when it ended. "People just stayed. They wouldn't leave, it was incredible."

Reverend McCain did as much as he could to help the people who had come to Cody's funeral. When speaking to them he said that instead of being upset with Cody's mother, they should pray for her. "Cody's in Heaven, God took are of that. God takes care of little children."

The Reverend had been at the embalming of Cody's body and had to leave the room. Cody had so many bruises up and down his little body and one of of his arms was twisted so badly that it wouldn't lay the right way. A knot on his tiny head could not be fixed.

The defense had tried to say that as a child, Cody's mother had been abused and that since there were three people in the house, he wasn't even sure if she had killed Cody. He said that she took responsibility for his death and that she felt guilty saying she should have been a better mother. In my opinion, she never should have been a mother in the first place. It never ceases to amaze me how people can believe that because they were abused, it's a good enough reason to abuse their own children or those around them. How could anyone who suffered though abuse as a child, want to inflict that same abuse on their own children? It makes no sense to me. There is so much help out there for people who have been through this, there is no excuse not to use the resources available to help those who need it.

Seventeen months after the funeral, Cody's mother was found guilty of capital murder. It took less than an hour and a half for the jury to make their decision. The District Attorney, Doug Valeska, said that he could have accepted a plea bargain of life without parole, he just thought that she needed to be punished more severely: "You had a baby who couldn't defend himself just tortured to death. It's not a case you settle."

"It's a 4-month-old who had a life before him just snuffed out. Our community just simply does not tolerate people who abuse children." Sheriff Lamar Glover.

Cody's mother was sentenced to die and now sits on death row. It sickens me to know that the father of Cody, Samuel David Hunter, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to prison time and his release date has been set for February 25, 2009. Also disgusting to me is the fact that Cody's Uncle, Edgar Parrish pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse and received prison time. He was released on November 3, 2008. There was no reason for this child to die, these people contributed to his death and they seem to have gotten away with it.

Cody's sister was sent to live with a foster family who later adopted her. At the time of his death, Cody's only possessions were a pacifier, two sippy cups, some diapers and his clothing. There was a lawsuit filed on behalf of Cody against Hillsborough Kids who had placed Cody with his Uncle. $800,000. was won in a wrongful death suit. The money has been placed in an account after being awarded to Jewell.

Disgustingly, the parents of Cody have tried to claim that the money should go to them since they have not yet exhausted all of their appeals. Lawyers from the Equal Justice Initiative filed motions trying to get the money saying the proceedings were unlawful. Marc Shapiro tried to suspend the proceedings involving the money saying that Cody's parents had not been informed that their son's estate might be entitled to this money. Claiming that the Gobble family was not aware that they had a right to serve as the administrators of Cody's estate. However, according to Alabama's "Slayer Statute", the law states that since Cody's parents were both convicted of crimes that caused his death, they are not entitled to any of the money. They are not are not able to profit from his death.

To this day, people still leave flowers, toys and other things on the grave of Cody. He is now and will always be remembered by the people who cared enough about his death, to give this abandoned little boy the care and love he should have been given in life.

Samuel David Hunter was released from prison on February 25, 2009.

Criminal Details

CaseLaw.FindLaw.com
Apr. 4, 2008

Michael Sale was convicted of the murder of his wife, Lynn Sale, made capital because it occurred during the course of kidnapping in the first degree, a violation of § 13A-5-41(1), Ala.Code 1975. After the penalty phase of Sale's trial, the jury unanimously recommended that he be sentenced to death. The trial court then ordered a presentence report. A sentencing hearing was held, after which the trial court accepted the jury's recommendation and sentenced Sale to death.

The evidence adduced at trial tended to show the following. On the night of May 2, 2004, Michael Sale placed a telephone call to 911 and requested help for his wife, Lynn, at their home in Webb, Alabama. Daniel Mercer, one of the paramedics who responded to the call, said they were told the patient's extremities were turning black.

Mercer said that when paramedics arrived at the Sales' home, they found Lynn lying in a twin bed covered with stained, dirty linens. He said that when he pulled down the bed covers to examine Lynn, the odor of urine, feces and decubiti, or dead flesh, “came up on me.”(R. 396.) Lynn's hands and feet were black, and she was having trouble breathing. Mercer said that in his opinion, Lynn was going to die if she did not receive treatment immediately. Despite her poor condition, Mercer said, Lynn reacted to pain stimuli.

Mercer said he was concerned about how Lynn had reached such a poor condition and questioned Sale as to whether Lynn had seen a doctor recently. He said that Sale told him that she had seen a doctor two weeks earlier but that the doctor did not know what was wrong with her, it may have been blood poisoning or it may have been cancer. Mercer was still puzzled, so, he said, he asked Sale three times whether Lynn had recently seen a doctor and each time Sale told him she had seen the doctor two weeks earlier.(R. 787.)

Lynn was transported by ambulance to Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan. Dr. Allen Purvis, one of Lynn's treating physicians, testified that Lynn, who was 48 years old, was dehydrated and in renal failure and respiratory failure when she arrived at the hospital. Her extremities, as well as her nose, were turning black because she was suffering from gangrene caused by sepsis, a bacterial infection that enters the blood stream, generally through a cut or break in the skin. The infection can be the result of poor hygiene. Dr. Purvis said that if Lynn had lived, her fingers, nose, and legs below the knees would have had to have been amputated.

Dr. Purvis was concerned about how bad Lynn's condition was before she was brought into the hospital. He testified that she had to have been extremely ill for a number of days to be in as poor a condition as she was when she was first brought in. He added that he had been a physician for 16 years and he had

“never had anybody bring anybody and say they stopped talking three days ago. I mean, if somebody stops talking, that is as basic as it gets. People bring them in right then. If something turns dark or black, people bring them in right then. They don't say their foot turned black three days ago. They don't say they stopped talking three days ago, and we decided to bring mama in today. They just don't do that. We have never in all my time have people come in and delay that. And that is people of any low educational status, maybe somebody who is maybe mentally handicapped. You just know there is something extremely, seriously wrong when someone stops talking.”

(R. 685.)

Dr. Purvis said after examining Lynn, he was “fairly convinced” she had been the victim of domestic abuse.(R. 687.) She had a broken rib, black eyes and “cauliflower ear,” a term meaning her ear was swollen and misshapen from a blow. Lynn was covered in bruises, human bite marks, scratches and cuts, some of which were fresh and some of which had been healing. Lynn also had significant swelling in her genitalia and pubis region, and there were scratches on her vagina. Given Lynn's condition, hospital personnel did not believe she was capable of having scratched herself.

In addition, medical tests showed that Lynn had suffered a heart attack and several small strokes. Dr. Purvis's opinion was that the heart attack occurred before Lynn was brought into the hospital. Based upon the results of a CAT scan, Dr. Purvis said the strokes had occurred several days before Lynn was brought to the hospital. A CAT scan also showed that Lynn had a tampon in her vagina that had been left there for a number of weeks. She was unable to move her arms and legs. He said that to be in such poor condition, she had to have been ill for some time.

Dr. Purvis said that when they discovered the tampon, doctors immediately suspected that she had toxic-shock syndrome. After running tests, however, they ruled out toxic shock as a cause of Lynn's sepsis, because blood tests revealed that the infection she had was not consistent with toxic shock.

Lisa Nixon, a nurse who treated Lynn, testified that Lynn's toes and fingers were hard and “crispy.”(R. 832 and 833.) She said that Lynn's nose was “just like a piece of charcoal sitting up there. It wasn't soft and mushy like a normal nose. It was hard and crispy. We were very afraid to do anything with that [feeding] tube, because we were afraid that part of the nose would fall off.”(R. 830-31.) Also, large patches of hair were missing from Lynn's head.

Nixon also testified as to the bruising and cuts Lynn had suffered. According to Nixon, Lynn was feeling pain and would often moan. Nixon said that although Lynn's condition was terminal, she did improve somewhat when she was being treated at the hospital. Three days before Lynn's death on May 17, 2004, Nixon said she was talking to Lynn as she usually did, not expecting an answer. Lynn verbally responded, which “kind of shocked” Nixon.(R. 828.) Nixon asked Lynn a series of questions such as her age, where she was, and whether she had children, all of which Lynn answered correctly. Nixon said she then asked Lynn whether she knew who had hurt her. Lynn said yes, then said, “Michael hurt me, he did this to me.”(R. 828.) Shortly afterwards, Nixon said, Lynn stopped being able to move her mouth or to open her eyes. She died three days later.

Nixon also testified as to Sale's demeanor and the inconsistent statements he made when he was at the hospital. When Lynn was first brought into the hospital, Nixon asked Sale how long Lynn had been sick. He told her it had been a couple of days. Nixon asked Sale whether Lynn had been to see a doctor. Sale said that she had and that the doctor thought she had a kidney infection. He also told Nixon that the reason he did not take her to a doctor before was that she refused to go. He then said Lynn had not been able to talk for several days. When Nixon asked him how she had refused to go to the doctor when she could not talk, Sale changed the subject.

On May 3, 2004, the day after Lynn was admitted to the hospital, the hospital notified police of the possibility that she had been the victim of domestic violence. Investigator Bill Rafferty with the Houston County Sheriff's Department testified that he went to the Sales home in Webb to execute a search warrant to determine whether there was any evidence of domestic abuse at the home. In the garbage can outside of the house, they found filthy clothes belonging to Lynn. They also found wads of hair matching Lynn's, and a handwritten note asking, “Do you hurt, yes or no.” A long strip of torn sheet, about five feet long and three inches wide was found in the shed outside the house.

Inside the house, law-enforcement officials found a stained mattress on a twin bed that had been covered in baking soda, battered walls, damage to cabinets in the house, weather stripping on an interior bedroom door, blood toward the bottom of that door, and nail holes above the windows and the door framing in that bedroom. The room smelled of urine and feces. Law-enforcement officials found a pair of broken, twisted eyeglasses, and a calendar that had been torn up.

Ryan Sale, Lynn and Sale's oldest son, was 23 years old at the time of the offense. At trial, he testified as to the cause of Lynn's critical condition and eventual death. He said that Sale often physically abused Lynn and that Sale had also hit him. He said he was so afraid of Sale that when Sale hit Lynn, he had wet his pants. He described Sale as controlling the family and said that Sale would not allow Lynn to see her sisters or her parents, all of whom lived in Michigan. Sale, who had his own floor-tiling business, also made Lynn quit her job.

Ryan said that in 2000 or 2001, Lynn finally called the police to report Sale's abuse. On April 17, 2001, Sale was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by five years' probation. Sale served 11 months and then was released from prison to begin serving his probation. As a condition of his probation, Sale was subject to a restraining order that prohibited him from having any contact with Lynn, and he was not to go near her.

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OFF2DR.com
June 4, 2009 - December 3, 2007
View on OFF2DR.com forum

Note: It appears some of this came from the Dothan Eagle but links were broken.

December 3, 2007

The death penalty case of a Dothan man goes before a jury this week.

23-year-old David Phillip Wilson faces a capital murder charge.

He's accused of the April 2004 beating and strangulation death of 64-year-old Dewey Walker.

Walker's body was found in his home on Shields Court.

Investigators say Walker lived alone and had been dead for nearly a week.

Prosecutors will try to prove that Wilson committed the murder so he could steal Walker's van and an expensive sound system in it.

Jury selection in the case is scheduled to begin Monday at the Houston County Courthouse.

December 6, 2007

A Houston County jury has recommended the death penalty for a man found guilty of capital murder.

23-year-old David Wilson was convicted of killing 64-year-old Dewey Walker in April of 2004.

Prosecutors say Wilson beat and strangled walker so he could steal the man's van and the expensive sound system in it.

Jurors deliberated about an hour and a half Wednesday morning before finding Wilson guilty.

They recommended Wilson be put to death in a 10 to 2 vote and the final decision lies with Judge Ed Jackson.

Judge Jackson will announce Wilson's sentence January 8 in the Houston County Courthouse.

December 26, 2007

This is a related case

Catherine Corley has pleaded guilty to murder and burglary, possibly sparing herself from the death penalty, for her part in the killing of a 64-year-old man in 2004.

Corley, 23, received a 20-year sentence for the burglary and a 25-year sentence for the murder. The sentences will run concurrently. In addition to the prison time, Corley will pay fines and restitution totalling more than $46,000.

Corley was originally charged with capital murder in the killing of Dewey Walker. Police found Walker dead in his kitchen on April 13, 2004. His customized Chevrolet Astro Van was missing at the time. Co-workers of Walker called police after he had not shown up for work for a week. Police later found the stripped van on a rural county road in Ashford. According to police, Walker's house had also been looted by burglars who had knocked holes in the walls looking for hidden money.

Police later determined that David Phillip Wilson, 22, had entered Walker's home and beat him to death with a baseball bat. According to police, Wilson, Michael Jackson, 23, Matthew Lee Marsh, 22, and Corley had planned to burglarize Walker's home.

District Attorney Doug Valeska said Corley admitted her role in the planning of the burglary as part of her plea agreement.

"She cried and said that if she hadn't helped plan that burglary, he'd be alive today," Valeska said.

Defense attorney Billy Joe Sheffield said he thought his client had gotten a good deal.

"Any time you have a capital murder charge it's an uphill battle," he said.

Plea agreements in capital murder cases are rare in Houston County. Valeska said he opted for the agreement based upon the law, the evidence and what he thought a jury would do if the case went to trial.

Corley's conviction finishes the trial phase for all four defendants in Walker's killing. Marsh, Corley and Jackson all pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Wilson was found guilty of capital murder and a jury has recommended the death penalty. A judge is expected to rule on the recommendation early next year.

January 10, 2008

A 23-year-old Dothan man has been sentenced to death for killing a 64-year-old resident by beating and choking him, all part of a burglary to steal the victim's valuables.

David Phillip Wilson was sentenced to death by Circuit Judge Edward Jackson shortly after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

He was convicted last month of killing Dewey Walker inside his home in April 2004.

Wilson beat Walker with an aluminum baseball bat, then choked him with a computer mouse cord along with an extension cord during the burglary.

Three others were also charged with capital murder in Walker's death, including Matthew Marsh, Catherine Corley and Michael Ray Jackson, all 24. Marsh, Corley, and Jackson all previously pleaded guilty to their involvement in the murder.

June 04, 2009 - Death penalty ordered for Dothan man in beating death

A 23-year-old Dothan man has been sentenced to death for killing a 64-year-old resident by beating and choking him, all part of a burglary to steal the victim's valuables.

David Phillip Wilson was sentenced to death by Circuit Judge Edward Jackson shortly after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

He was convicted last month of killing Dewey Walker inside his home in April 2004.

Wilson beat Walker with an aluminum baseball bat, then choked him with a computer mouse cord along with an extension cord during the burglary.

Three others were also charged with capital murder in Walker's death, including Matthew Marsh, Catherine Corley and Michael Ray Jackson, all 24. Marsh, Corley, and Jackson all previously pleaded guilty to their involvement in the murder.

"I accidentally hit him in the back of the head, and that was not my intention," Wilson told police. "I was trying to aim for his shoulder."

Wilson told Dothan Police Lt. Tony Luker he struck Walker with a baseball bat to get him to drop a knife he'd picked up.

Wilson told police he'd originally taken the bat with him to protect himself against Walker's dog, a chihuahua. After police found Walker's body they also found his dog hiding under his bed.

After Walker failed to drop the knife Wilson said he grabbed a computer mouse cord nearby and used it to choke Walker until the cord the broke.

Wilson said several other people "begged and begged him" to go into Walker's house and steal the keys to his van, which had at least a dozen speakers inside, along with other electronic equipment.

Criminal Details

WTVY.com
May 8, 2005

A suspect in a deadly Dothan shootout changed his plea to guilty. Nineteen-year-old Emmanuel Perkins was accused of gunning down 15-year-old Sumner Bonds. The shooting happened in February of last year. Police say the two teenagers pulled guns and opened fire during an argument. Bonds died at a Dothan hospital. Perkins pled guilty to murder and two other lesser charges. He was sentenced to 20-years in prison.

Criminal Details

The Dothan Eagle
Matt Elofson - Nov 26, 2008

ABBEVILLE -- District Attorney Doug Valeska told jurors Tuesday that an Abbeville man killed two people out of pleasure, outlining the prosecution’s case in a capital murder trial.

Michael David Harrison, 33, of Henry County 97, Abbeville, faces capital murder charges for the shootings of Marvin Junior Gillis, 32, and Tish Ann Glennon Gillis, 19, in September of 2003.

Lawyers selected a jury Tuesday and gave their opening statements to the jury outlining their cases. The prosecution will start the presentation of evidence after the Thanksgiving holiday on Tuesday in Abbeville at the Henry County Courthouse.

Valeska argued to the jury that Harrison had told investigators during an interview about an unrelated case that he killed people for pleasure.

The prosecution told the jury Harrison admitted in a statement to law enforcement that he shot the couple after a disagreement with Junior Gillis over who owned a camper.

“He takes that .38 pistol and shoots him right between the eyes,” Valeska said. “She puts up her hand before she’s shot.”

Evidence in the case will show both the husband and wife suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the head. Valeska said Tish Gillis also suffered injuries to at least one of her hands after she attempted to protect herself. She suffered a single gunshot wound behind her ear.

Valeska said after the murder Harrison dragged Junior Gillis from inside his pickup truck and put him in the back. Harrison then drove to a convenience store near his home where Valeska said the defendant bought some beer. After Harrison left the store he crashed the pickup truck into some construction equipment on the roadway.

Valeska said Harrison initially told law enforcement who responded to the crash that he was Gillis, and only admitted his true identity when Henry County Coroner Derek Wright recognized Harrison.

Valeska said Harrison gave investigators four statements, which all included different stories of how the couple died. He claimed in at least two of the stories they died during a drug deal in which he tried unsuccessfully to help them. He claimed two other men gunned them down while they were inside the truck.

But Valeska said the defense will have jurors believe Harrison killed the couple after following the instructions of a voice in his head. He said an expert will testify Harrison was competent to stand trial.

Harrison’s defense lawyer, Aaron Gartlan, told jurors the evidence in the case will show how his client is not guilty because he suffered from a mental disease at the time of the shooting.

“We expect the evidence to show in this particular case the mental disease is psychosis,” Gartlan said. “In this case it’s a loss with reality.”

Gartlan went on to describe to jurors how his client suffered and continues to suffer from psychosis, which can include delusions and hearing voices. Gartlan also said several experts will testify his client received treatment prior to the murders for his psychosis.

“Before these offenses occurred, he was treated at Spectracare,” Gartlan said. “It’s very, very common for people who suffer from psychosis to often abuse drug and alcohol as a self medication.”

Associated Press
September 9, 2003

A newlywed couple who recently moved to rural Henry County because they believed Florida was too violent were shot and killed following a dispute over a travel trailer.

Marvin Junior Gillis, 32, and Tish Ann Glennon Gillis, 19, were found at about 8:30 p.m. Monday in a wrecked pickup truck on Henry County Road 97, said Henry County Sheriff Lawton Ed Armstrong.

Both had been shot in the back of the head with a small-caliber handgun.

"She said everything was so violent down there (in Okeechobee), she didn't want to raise a family down there," Marvin Gillis' brother-in-law, Steve Cox, told The Dothan Eagle for a Wednesday story. "Then this happens."

Michael David Harrison, 27, who was injured in the wreck, was found by police at the scene and was charged with capital murder after being treated at Dothan Hospital

Criminal Details

WSFA.com
Published: Aug. 11, 2003 at 10:55 PM CDT|Updated: Aug. 11, 2003 at 11:11 PM CDT

Two Brothers Arrested For Elmore County Murder

Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin filed murder charges against two brothers Monday in a case he called one of the strangest he's ever seen. The murder of Ronnie Holman was apparently part of a week-long crime spree that included vandalism, purse snatching and a wild police chase.

Bill Franklin and Prosecutor Randall Houston already had the two brothers in jail. It was information that came in later that made the murder case possible. Both men were known to police and people in Elmore County. In fact, corrections officials had just released 22-year-old Jason Murphy from jail a few days before he apparently led his little brother on a series of crimes. Officers say Jason and Jared Murphy began their spree by vandalizing some Elmore county cars, and from there, it appears things got much worse.

On Tuesday, July 29th, Sheriffs deputies were called to Ronnie Holman's house. Holman was gunned down in his front yard. They say whoever did it was looking for money. The next day, the Murphy brothers were accused of a purse snatching here that led Montgomery officers on a high speed chase. It ended at the Kowliga Bridge near Lake Martin.

The murder charges were filed early Monday afternoon, after a tip to the sheriff's department. A quick check of the Murphy brothers police record shows Jason Murphy has a very violent past: arrested for rape, assault, reckless endangerment, domestic violence and drug use. Jared Murphy is also known to police but mostly for traffic offenses. Now, they both face the death penalty. Prosecutors say the brothers will face a judge on the murder charges in the next couple of days and a grand jury later on.

Source: View WSFA.com Article

Criminal Details

WSFA.com
Published: Jan. 25, 2010 at 10:19 PM CST|Updated: Jan. 26, 2010 at 5:49 PM CST

Jason Murphy sentenced to 35 years for murder

Posted by: Mario Hendricks  | Updated by: Cody Holyoke

WETUMPKA, AL (WSFA) - Convicted murderer Jason Murphy has been sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Murphy was found guilty last October of the 2003 death of Ronnie Holman in Elmore County.

Two previous trials ended with hung juries. Holman's family requested the judge hand down a 99 year sentence, the maximum allowed by law.

Murphy's family and attorneys say they're ready for an appeal.

"There's not enough evidence he did it. There's no evidence at all," said Krista Morse, Murphy's sister.

"The way the system's set up, they can keep coming back, time and time again until they get the result that they want. And that's what happened here," explained defense attorney Don Jones.

Meanwhile, disappointed members of the Holman family--and prosecutors--prepare for the road ahead.

"What the defense counsel likes to forget is that during those previous juries--they didn't acquit him," explained Assistant Attorney General Pamela Casey.

"It's turmoil all the time because there's no closure to it. It's just something going all the time," said Pete Holman, the victim's father.

Jason Murphy will be back in court on February 10th to ask for a fourth trial.

His brother, Jared, is still waiting to stand trial in connection with Holman's murder. He'll face a judge in August.

Source: View WSFA.com Article

Criminal Details

AL.com
Updated: Jan. 14, 2019, 6:02 p.m. | Published: Aug. 19, 2010, 6:23 p.m.

Wetumpka man sentenced to 28 years in 2003 killing of Elmore County businessman

By The Associated Press

WETUMPKA — A Wetumpka man has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for his role in the killing of a prominent Elmore County businessman who was shot to death when he went outside his home to investigate why his dogs were barking.

Elmore County Circuit Court Judge Sibley Reynolds sentenced Jared Murphy, 24, who had pleaded guilty to felony murder in the 2003 killing of Ronnie Holman. His brother, Jason Murphy, 22 at the time of the killing, was sentenced to 35 years after his conviction in January.

The 28 years matched what prosecutors asked for under the plea agreement with Jared Murphy.

"We wanted life in prison or the electric chair," said Holman's father, Pete Holman. "Justice will never be served in this case because my son is dead and they are still alive."

Investigators say Jared Murphy and his brother Jason, then 22, hid behind trees as Holman emerged from the house when his dogs started barking. According to prosecutors, Jason Murphy shot Holman while Jared Murphy was a few feet away behind another tree, then both went inside and stole money.

"They ambushed him down like a wild animal," the victim's wife, Kathy Holman, said at sentencing Wednesday.

"Ronnie was the love of my life," she told the court as she fought back tears. "Ronnie had a strong hold on the family. He was what kept us together. Our family has had so much torn away."

She said they would have been married 34 years this year.

Jason Murphy's trial was moved to Chilton County because of pretrial publicity. Charged with capital murder, he was convicted of the lesser offense of felony murder at his third trial. The first two ended in mistrials when the jury could not reach a verdict.

Source: View AL.com Article