2016 Citronelle homicides

2016 Citronelle homicides
Location Citronelle, Alabama, United States
Date August 20, 2016 (2016-08-20)
4:10 p.m. (CT)
Attack type
 Mass shooting, familicide
Weapons
  • Firearms
  • Axe
Deaths 6 (including an unborn baby)
Suspected perpetrator
 Derrick Dearman
Motive Under investigation

On August 20, 2016, six people, including an unborn baby, were killed inside a home in Citronelle, Alabama. Two other people were kidnapped during the incident, but they were both released and one managed to alert authorities. The killings were described by investigators as the worst in Mobile County's history.

A suspect, identified as Derrick Dearman, who was the estranged boyfriend of the escaped hostage, later turned himself in at a Mississippi police station. He was charged with six counts of capital murder and two counts of abduction.

Killings

The killings began at 4:10 p.m. CT at a home in the 1700 block of Jim Platt Road. The assailant killed the victims using several different weapons, including a firearm, while they were all sleeping. One of the victims was five months pregnant when she was killed. A four-month-old baby and a woman named Laneta Lester survived the incident unharmed after being kidnapped. The bodies were found after both hostages were released in Mississippi. Lester fled to the Citronelle Police Department station and notified authorities of the crime scene. Initial reports said she escaped.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Investigators said that a 9-1-1 call had been made by residents at the home a few hours before the killings, in which they reported a trespasser. Officers responded to the house, but found no one and left.[4] Investigators also believed an ax and then several firearms in the home were used, and that the attack was committed in the process of an attempted burglary or abduction.[7][8][9] Two firearms and a "bladed weapon" were found at the house.[10] The attack was described as the worst mass killing in the history of Mobile County.[11]

Suspect and victims

Suspect

After the incident ended, a suspect, identified as 27-year-old Derrick Dearman, turned himself in at his hometown of Leakesville, Mississippi, located about 30 miles (48 km) to the west of Citronelle.[4] He reportedly surrendered after his father convinced him to do so.[12] Dearman was the boyfriend of Laneta Lester, but she fled due to an alleged abusive relationship. The home where the killings occurred belonged to one of the victims, who was Lester's brother, and was being shared by all of the victims. Lester was reportedly seeking shelter inside.[6][13][14] Dearman's ex-wife described him as having "a temper, especially when he doesn't get his way".[6]

Dearman had an extensive criminal record in Mississippi, which included charges of disorderly conduct, telephone harassment, resisting arrest, and burglary. At the time of the killings, he was wanted on a warrant stemming from the burglary charge, for which he had been released on a US$10,000 bond.[5][9][14]

Victims

The deceased victims were named as:[6][15]

Legal proceedings

On August 22, Dearman was extradited to Mobile, Alabama, to face trial.[17] While being escorted to an administrative building, he reportedly said "Don't do drugs", apologized, and said he turned himself in after realizing what he had done. He later apologized to Lester by name and described the victims as friends.[12][18] The following day, he said he was on methamphetamine at the time of the killings, blaming the drug's influence on the crime.[13]

On August 31, Dearman was charged with six counts of capital murder (one concerning Chelsea Reed's unborn baby, under Alabama's fetal homicide law[19]) and two counts of abduction. He pleaded not guilty to all of the counts.[6][7][20]

References

  1. ↑ Sharp, John (August 22, 2016). "Citronelle mayor: City is in 'shock' following murders". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  2. ↑ "5 dead in 'gruesome' murders in Citronelle, Alabama". BNO News. August 21, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  3. ↑ Edgemon, Erin (August 20, 2016). "5 dead, including pregnant woman, in south Alabama mass homicide". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Specker, Lawrence (August 21, 2016). "'Horrific' Citronelle murders of 5 may take days to decipher, authorities say". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Hrynkiw, Ivana (August 21, 2016). "Citronelle slaying victims identified, suspect charged with six counts of murder". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Hrynkiw, Ivana (August 22, 2016). "Citronelle quintuple homicide: What we know Monday". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Specker, Lawrence (August 31, 2016). "Derrick Dearman pleads not guilty in Citronelle mass murder". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  8. ↑ "The Latest: 'Several' firearms, ax used in Alabama killings". Santa Cruz Sentinel. August 24, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Biunno, J.B.; DeVoe, Emily; Quynh, Jacqueline; Knight, Ashley (August 20, 2016). "Names Released Of Five People "Gruesomely" Murdered In Citronelle, Including Pregnant Woman". WKRG. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  10. ↑ Sharp, John (August 23, 2016). "Accused Citronelle killer used ax first to murder victims; made several stops while fleeing to Mississippi". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  11. ↑ Biunno, J.B.; Quynh, Jacqueline (August 31, 2016). "Derrick Dearman Pleads Not Guilty In The Citronelle Murders". WKRG. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  12. 1 2 Specker, Lawrence (August 22, 2016). "Derrick Dearman, Citronelle quintuple murder suspect: 'Don't do drugs'". Alabama Live. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "What drove Derrick Dearman to kill 5 people in Citronelle?". Alabama Live. Associated Press. August 23, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  14. 1 2 Hrynkiw, Ivana (August 21, 2016). "Who is Derrick Dearman? Citronelle quintuple murder suspect identified, in custody". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  15. ↑ Sharp, John (August 22, 2016). "Citronelle mayor: City is in 'shock' following murders". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  16. ↑ Hrynkiw, Ivana (August 22, 2016). "Family of Citronelle victims: Remember who they were, not how they died". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  17. ↑ Specker, Lawrence (August 22, 2016). "Citronelle murder suspect Derrick Dearman bound for Mobile". Alabama Live. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Suspect in deaths of 5 in Alabama blames drugs for slaughter". Chicago Tribune. August 22, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  19. ↑ Margolin, Emma; Grimson, Matthew (August 22, 2016). "Five People, Including Pregnant Woman, Brutally Killed in Alabama". NBC News. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  20. ↑ Karimi, Faith; Patterson, Thom (August 21, 2016). "Man to be charged in Alabama mass murder". CNN. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
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