Dadeville AL: Sweet 16 party - 4 dead, 32 injured **ARRESTS**

Report: 5 of 6 suspects in Alabama Sweet 16 party killings due in court today | CNN

Five of six suspects arrested in connection with a deadly shooting at a Sweet 16 birthday party in Alabama this month are expected to appear in court Tuesday for a hearing related to bond, CNN affiliate WSFA reported.

www.cnn.com

By Chris Boyette, CNN
Published 3:47 AM EDT, Tue April 25, 2023

Five of six suspects arrested in connection with a deadly shooting at a Sweet 16 birthday party in Alabama this month are expected to appear in court Tuesday for a hearing related to bond, CNN affiliate WSFA reported.

Six people, including four teenagers, were arrested last week on charges of reckless homicide in the April 15 shooting that left four people dead – including the brother of the girl celebrating her birthday – and 32 others injured in a venue in downtown Dadeville.

An Aniah’s Law hearing will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. for five suspects, WSFA reported, citing Mike Segrest, district attorney for an area that includes Tallapoosa County. Aniah’s Law give judges discretion to deny bond to defendants accused of violent crimes, according to the state attorney general’s office.

The sixth suspect, a 15-year-old who is facing the same charges as the rest but was not publicly named by authorities, will not be part of Tuesday’s hearing, WSFA reported.

Authorities have not publicly discussed a motive in the killings that stunned the small Alabama city and joined it to a slew of other American communities grieving gun violence this year. The shooting is one of more than 170 mass shootings – in which four or more people were shot, excluding the shooter – reported in the US so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The five suspects who authorities have named are Willie George Brown Jr., 19; Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee; Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20, of Auburn; Ty Reik McCullough, 17, of Tuskegee; and Travis McCullough, 16, of Tuskegee, officials have said. Ty Reik McCullough and Travis McCullough will be charged as adults, Segrest has said.

 

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Judge to rule within 24 hours on three suspect bonds

At a hearing this morning for three of the six suspects in the Dadeville mass shooting, Tallapoosa County District Court Judge Kim Taylor decided he will make a ruling within

www.alexcityoutlook.com

• TPI Staff
• Apr 25, 2023 Updated 16 min ago

At a hearing this morning for three of the six suspects in the Dadeville mass shooting, Tallapoosa County District Court Judge Kim Taylor decided he will make a ruling within 24 hours on Aniah’s Law for Willie Brown Jr., Johnnie Brown and Wilson “LJ” Hill.

Aniah’s Law, which went into effect this year, gives a judge the ability to deny bond to those accused of violent crimes and to keep those persons in jail until their trial date.

The other three accused– Tyreese “Ty Reik” McCullough, Travis McCullough and the unnamed 15-year-old will have their hearings after a recess today. The session will be closed as minors are involved.

 

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‘Blood everywhere’: 89 shots fired in Dadeville birthday party, guns found on 2 of the dead

Hearings were scheduled for today for suspects in the shooting that killed four people and injured 32 others.

www.al.com

• Updated: Apr. 25, 2023, 12:42 p.m.|
• Published: Apr. 25, 2023, 7:49 a.m.
• By Carol Robinson | crobinson@al.com

At least seven guns were fired in the Dadeville Sweet 16 birthday party that left four people dead and 32 injured, leaving 89 shell casings on the floor of the dance studio, a special agent with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency testified Tuesday.

Killed in the shooting were Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, Shaunkivia Nicole “Keke” Smith, 17, Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins, 19, and Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 23.


<snip>
Special Agent Jess Thornton, the lead investigator in the case, testified there were 50 to 60 people inside the hall, which is 38-feet-long and 26-feet-wide.

At one point in the evening, a DJ’s speaker fell over, making a sound similar to a gunshot, Thornton said. When that happened, several of the young people there lifted their shirts to show they had guns.

LaTonya Allen, mother of Phil Dowdell and birthday girl Alexis Dowdell, said anyone over 18 or carrying a gun needed to leave.

Not long after that, shots rang out leaving “multiple shell casings, blood everywhere,” Thornton testified.

<snip>
One of the guns was found sitting on the chest of Holston’s lifeless body. The gun had been fired, Thornton said.

Witnesses also said Holston at one point wore a ski mask.

“Most of the suspects said he fired first,” Thornton said.

Another gun was found in Collins’ waistband, but it had not been fired.

Those were the only two guns recovered from the scene. At least four different caliber weapons were fired, Thornton said. Those were a 9 millimeter, 22 caliber, 40 caliber and 45 caliber.

Witnesses reported hearing rapid fire and Thornton testified one defendant admitted his gun had been altered to be fully automatic and investigators believe another gun had also been converted to automatic.

The six defendants are all relatives or friends, Thornton said. They were not invited but knew of the party and met up there from Auburn and Tuskegee.

Of the six, only Willie Brown denied being at the party. Thornton said, however, shell casings from an unrelated incident in Auburn in which he is a suspect matched one used in Dadeville.

One the juvenile suspects, it was not clear which, had an ankle monitor from an unrelated shooting in Tuskegee and its GPS tracker showed he was in Dadeville.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Judge denies bail for five Dadeville shooting suspects

A judge granted the state’s request to deny bond for five of the Dadeville mass shooting suspects on Wednesday.

www.montgomeryadvertiser.com

Hadley Hitson
Montgomery Advertiser
April 26, 2023

Judge Clayton Taylor in Tallapoosa County issued an order on Wednesday granting the state's request to deny bail to the five named suspects in the Dadeville shooting that took place on April 15.

<snip>
The five suspects who had bond denied on Wednesday were: Tyreese "Ty Reik" McCullough, 17, Travis McCullough, 16, Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20, Johnny Letron Brown, 20, and Willie George Brown Jr., 19.

All five are being charged as adults with four counts of reckless murder.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Bond denied for suspects in Dadeville mass shooting

A judge has decided in favor of the state’s request to deny bond for the suspects in the Dadeville mass shooting.

www.wsfa.com

By WSFA 12 News Staff
Published: Apr. 26, 2023 at 2:16 PM EDT

<snip>
The sixth suspect, an unnamed 15-year-old, was also denied bail, but that decision was made at a separate hearing.

“The State intends to file a motion to transfer him from juvenile court to be tried as an adult,” said District Attorney Michael Segrest. “The juvenile court will have to hold a hearing to decide whether to transfer. Under the law, the 16 and 17 year olds, although still juveniles, are automatically transferred when charged.”

 

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Dadeville mass shooting cases now head to courts. What to expect in the months ahead.

Thae Dadeville shooting case could take months or more than a year before being presented to grand jury. Any trials could be years away.

www.montgomeryadvertiser.com

Marty Roney
Montgomery Advertiser
May 2, 2023

<snip>
Evidence continues to be gathered, interviews of witnesses and injured party celebrants are ongoing. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is leading the investigation, which also includes the Dadeville Police Department, Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office, 5th Circuit District Attorneys Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI.

And don’t forget, charges relating to those injured in the shootings have not been filed yet. They could range from felonious assault, since a firearm or other dangerous weapon or instrument was used, to attempted murder.

A Tallapoosa County Grand Jury is likely to review the cases to determine if enough evidence exists that a crime occurred. There are also several stages in the lengthy legal process where charges against the defendants could be dropped.

The brutal truth is, it could be years before any trials occur. Along the way will be possibly several year’s worth of court proceedings before the first jury is selected and seated.

It’s going to be a long, difficult journey for this close-knit community.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Details explaining the process, although generic, are at link. Good information/outline of what comes next. ~Summer

 

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https:/SheWhoMustNotBeNamed/whnt.com/news/alabama-news/five-suspects-in-dadeville-shooting-indicted-on-145-counts-including-reckless-murder-first-degree-assault/

by: Simone Gibson
Posted: May 24, 2023 / 03:33 PM CDT
Updated: May 24, 2023 / 03:33 PM CDT

TALLAPOOSA COUNTY, Ala. (WRBL) – On Monday, the Tallapoosa County Grand Jury reconvened at the request of District Attorney Mike Sergest.

According to the Office of the District Attorney Fifth Judicial Circuit, on Monday, an indictment was provided to Judge Isaac Whorton and read in court concerning the shootings that occurred on April 15 in Dadeville, Alabama, at a birthday party that left four dead and 32 injured.

As a result, five individuals who were previously arrested and charged with reckless murder were indicted on charges of Reckless Murder, and on new charges for the survivors who were also shot.

The following individuals were charged in the shooting:

• Willie Brown, 20
• Johnny Brown, 19
• Wilson Hill, 19
• Juvenile (1), 16
• Juvenile (2), 17

The District Attorney’s Office says the 145-count indictment names the five individuals listed above and includes charges of Reckless Murder for the four deceased victims – which amounts to a total of 20 counts of Reckless Murder, 24 counts of First-Degree Assault for the 24 victims who suffered gunshot wounds, which amounts to 120 counts of First-Degree Assault.

The indictment also charges all five individuals with one count of Third-Degree Assault for each defendant for the person who suffered “a superficial gunshot wound.”

 

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Three suspects in Dadeville mass shooting seek youthful offender status

Three of six reckless murder suspects charged in the mass shooting that broke out in downtown Dadeville in April will apply for youthful offender status in August.

oanow.com

• JOHN WEST
• Jul 6, 2023 Updated 1 hr ago

Three of the suspects standing accused in the April 15 Dadeville shootings, where four people were killed and 32 people were injured, have youthful offender application hearings on Aug. 18.
According to the Alabama Trial Court System, Johnny Letron Brown, 20; Willie George Brown, 19; and Wilson Lamar Hill, 20, will have youthful offender application hearings.

All three men, along with Tyreese “Ty Reik” McCullough, 17; Travis McCullough, 16, and an unnamed 15-year-old are charged with a total of 145 counts after being arrested in connection to the Dadeville shootings.

Those charges include four counts of reckless murder, 24 counts of first degree assault, and one count of third degree assault.

All six suspects were denied bond in an Aniah’s Law hearing in late April.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

What is a youthful offender hearing in Alabama? — Dani V. Bone & Sam D. Bone, Gadsden Lawyers and Attorneys

If your case is set for a youthful offender hearing, you will first need to meet with your county's State probation office. Section 15-19-1 provides that an Investigation and examination by state probation should take place. After such investigation and examination,

www.danibone.com

THE PROCESS FOR GETTING YOUTHFUL OFFENDER STATUS​

A defendant must request youthful offender status, and the courts in Alabama have an obligation to inform eligible defendants of the right to request the status. Once the request is made, the court will typically request an investigation by a probation officer into the background of the defendant and the facts and circumstances with which they are charged. The trial court has a great deal of discretion in the decision to grant or deny youthful offender status. In our experience, courts consider a wide variety of factors in making the decision, some appropriate and some not so appropriate. Nevertheless, it is important to present information to the court as to factors. Some common factors considered include: prior contact with criminal justice system, age, maturity, family relationships, role in the offense, seriousness of the offense, school attendance and history, potential for rehabilitation, and community ties. The court will hold a hearing at which your attorney may present information and evidence on your behalf.

POTENTIAL PUNISHMENT UNDER YOUTHFUL OFFENDER STATUS​

Alabama Code § 15-19-6 provides that if the underlying offense was a felony offense, a person given youthful offender status faces the following potential punishment:

• · Incarceration in the custody of the Board of Corrections for up to 3 years
• · Probation for up to 3 years
• · Suspension of the sentence with probation
• · Suspension of the sentence without probation
• · Fines, with or without probation (typically up to $1,000)

Where a youthful offender is placed on probation, they are placed under the supervision of the appropriate probation agency.

Alabama Code § 15-19-6 provides that if the underlying offense was a misdemeanor offense, a person given youthful offender status can be punished as provided by law for such misdemeanor.

THE EFFECT OF YOUTHFUL OFFENDER STATUS​

By establishing the Alabama Youthful Offender Act, the Legislature not only provided an alternative method of sentencing minors, but, in fact, created a procedure separate and apart from the criminal procedure dealing with adults accused of the same offense.  Ex parte Jackson, 415 So.2d 1169 (Ala.1982). Youthful Offender Act proceedings are not “criminal” in nature. Raines v. State, 294 Ala. 360, 365, 317 So. 2d 559, 562 (1975). Therefore, an adjudication and grant of youthful offender status is not a “conviction” as that term is used in relation to Alabama criminal law. The Alabama Supreme Court describes the workings of the Youthful Offender Act as follows:

The Youthful Offender Act is intended to extricate persons below twenty-one years of age from the harshness of criminal prosecution and conviction. It is designed to provide them with the benefits of an informal, confidential, rehabilitative system. A determination that one is a youthful offender (1) does not disqualify the youth from public office or public employment, (2) does not operate as a forfeiture of any right or privilege, (3) does not make him ineligible to receive any license granted by public authority, and (4) shall not be deemed a conviction of crime; and (5) the record shall not be open to public inspection except upon permission of the court. Title 15, s 266(6), Code of Alabama. Raines v. State, 294 Ala. 360, 363, 317 So. 2d 559, 561 (1975).

When a court grants youthful offender status, the adjudication essentially ended the adult criminal prosecution. The Youthful Offender Act states in Ala. Code § 15-19-1, where an application for youthful offender is granted, “no further action shall be taken on the indictment or information.” Ala. Code § 15-19-1.


YOUTHFUL OFFENDER RECORDS ARE SEALED FROM PUBLIC VIEW
Under Alabama Code § 15-19-7, fingerprints and photographs and other records of a person adjudged a youthful offender are not open to public inspection with two exceptions. First, a court may, in its discretion, permit the inspection of papers or records. Second, prosecutors have access to fingerprints, photographs, and other records of a person adjudged a youthful offender contained in the court file regardless of the jurisdiction from which the file originates.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Dadeville shooting suspect denied youthful offender status

Three of the five suspects charged in the Dadeville mass shooting were set to appear in court Thursday, but of those, only one hearing happened.

www.wvtm13.com

Dadeville shooting suspect denied youthful offender status​

Three of the five suspects charged in the Dadeville mass shooting were set to appear in court Thursday, but of those, only one hearing happened.

The Judge denied youthful offender status for Johnny Brown, according to Tallapoosa County District Attorney Mike Segrest.

Lexie Dowdell, the girl whose birthday party was being held when the mass shooting happened, testified on the stand Thursday.

Willie Brown Jr. and Wilson Hill Jr. are also applying for youthful offender status. Their hearings have been scheduled for 9 a.m. on Oct. 26.

Since they are under 21 years old, they are asking to be tried as juveniles.

The five suspects charged in the April shooting deaths of four people at a Dadeville sweet-16 birthday party are now facing more than 100 total assault charges.

The three in court Thursday, as well as two other juveniles, who were previously charged with four counts of reckless murder, are now each facing the following charges:

• 24 counts of first-degree assault
• 1 count of third-degree assault

If found guilty of the charges, the five suspects could face 20 years to life for each of the fatalities, as well as 10 to 20 years on all assaults.

In total, four people were shot and killed, and 32 people were injured at the party.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

15-year-old Dadeville shooting suspect to be tried as an adult

DADEVILLE, Ala. (WRBL) — One of the juveniles on trial in the Dadeville shooting case will now be tried as an adult, according to District Attorney Mike Segrest. The District Attorney originally fi…

www.wrbl.com

15-year-old Dadeville shooting suspect to be tried as an adult​

One of the juveniles on trial in the Dadeville shooting case will now be tried as an adult, according to District Attorney Mike Segrest.

The District Attorney originally filed a motion requesting the Juvenile Court to transfer the suspect to Tallapoosa County Circuit Court where he’d be tried as an adult.

On July 19, a transfer hearing was held. On Sept. 12, Juvenile Court Judge Kim Taylor ordered the juvenile defendant to be transferred and tried as an adult.

According to the office, the next step may be an Anaiah’s Law hearing.

Sixth suspect in Dadeville Sweet 16 shooting denied bond under…

Sherman Peters III, 15, was denied bond Tuesday under Aniah’s Law. The teen has been charged as an adult in connection to a deadly shooting at a Sweet 16 party in Dadeville. | Alabama News

1819news.com

Sixth suspect in Dadeville Sweet 16 shooting denied bond under Aniah’s Law​

Sherman Peters III, 15, was denied bond Tuesday under Aniah's Law after being charged as an adult in connection to a deadly shooting at a Sweet 16 party in Dadeville.

New information obtained from court documents showed that Peters admitted to shooting a 9mm firearm during the party at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio on April 15.

Four people were killed and 25 others injured.

Peters and five others are charged with four counts of reckless murder, 24 counts of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree assault.

The other five suspects have also been denied bond. They are 20-year-old Willie Brown, 19-year-old Johnny Brown, 19-year-old Wilson Hill, 17-year-old Ty Reik McCullough and 16-year-old Travis McCullough.

 

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‘I just wish I could’ve saved him’: Dadeville reflects on mass shooting that killed 4, injured 32

Philstavious Dowdell. Corbin Holston. Marsiah Collins. Shaunkivia Smith. The names of the lives tragically taken a year ago. More than 30 people were injured.

www.wtvm.com

By Gabriela Johnson
Published: Apr. 16, 2024 at 9:00 AM EDT

DADEVILLE, Ala. (WTVM) - April 15, 2023 many lives were changed forever in Dadeville, Alabama, and neighboring towns in East Alabama after a mass shooting at a 16th birthday party left many heartbroken about young lives being cut short.

Philstavious Dowdell. Corbin Holston. Marsiah Collins. Shaunkivia Smith. The names of the lives tragically taken a year ago. More than 30 people were injured.

“Every time I drive by I try to turn my head and keep going, or try to not even come this way,” said Miranda Turner, mother of 17-year-old Shaunkivia ‘Keke’ Smith, in an interview right across from the building where her daughter was killed in downtown Dadeville.

Turner says the past year has been stressful, sad, and emotional but thinking of Keke keeps her going.

“Her smile just to think about her saying momma you’re going to be okay, her siblings, my son and my daughter, they keep me going every day,” said Turner.

“I just wish I could’ve saved him. I was in the moment, I just I blacked out. I couldn’t do nothing for real. He was right beside me and then we split up. The outcome..it wasn’t good,”

Daquan Doss is still hurting from losing one of his best friends, Phil Dowdell. Doss was at the party for his best friends little sister’s sweet 16.

“I don’t wish this on anybody, it’s not easy. This is my first time being in this situation,” said Doss.

Doss says he was closer to Dowdell than some family members. The two grew up with each other.

“We were too close to each other. This is my first experience on this [losing a friend], I don’t wish it on anybody, that’s why I pray to God to give me the strength at all times. I miss his smile and laugh and memories,” said Doss.

First Baptist Church Dadeville Senior Pastor Ben Hayes says it’s been a rough year.

“But it’s been a good year as well. We’ve seen a lot of healing take place and relationships have been strengthened because of all that we’ve been through,” said Hayes.


Hayes says healing is a journey and adds that it starts in homes.

“I would ask the question, “what do you think is the reason that happened’ and almost without fail the answer would be the absence of strong father figures in home. We’ve got to get the nuclear family back together and make it stronger,” said Hayes.

Why it happened? A question that Turner still wants to know the answer to.

“I just want to know why. Why did they do this? They keep telling me I‘ll never know why, but eventually somebody is going to have to give me an explanation of why they did this. You just took my baby away from me for no reason,” said the grieving mother.

There are 6 suspects ranging from ages 15-20 [time of the incident] who are charged with four counts of reckless murder, 24 counts of first-degree assault and one count of third-degree assault.

 

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A year later, court proceedings continue in Dadeville shooting case

Six alleged shooters in connection with the April 15 mass shooting in Dadeville are still awaiting their days in court, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot going on

www.alexcityoutlook.com

• Lizi Arbogast Gwin
• Apr 15, 2024 Updated Apr 16, 2024

Six alleged shooters in connection with the April 15 mass shooting in Dadeville are still awaiting their days in court, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot going on behind the scenes.

Of the six suspects, two of their records are being kept private due to the Alabama Confidentiality Act, which states all juvenile suspects tried as adults remain anonymous unless and until they are convicted.

Wilson Hill, Willie Brown and Johnny Brown, all over the age of 18 at the time of the crime, were all initially tried as adults and their records are public.

All three have entered pleas of not guilty, according to court records. A fourth suspect, Sherman Peters III, was just 15 on April 15, 2023, however his proceeds are public.

The difference in Peters’ case is due to his age. He was initially charged as a juvenile whereas the other two were immediately tried as adults. Since the initial arrests, Peters has been in front of a judge, who ruled his case eligible for the adult court system, therefore his court proceedings are public record despite the Confidentiality Act.

Most recently, Peters was in court Feb. 28 for a youthful offender status hearing, but a mental health evaluation was ordered and the results are still pending, according to court records.

Initially, the identity and likeness of TyReik McCullough and Travis McCullough, who were 16 and 17, respectively, were provided to media outlets by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency despite the two being juveniles when the crime was committed. However, due to the Confidentiality Act, Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. no longer has access to information about or photos of the McCulloughs.

All six alleged shooters were initially charged with four counts each of reckless murder, 24 counts each of first-degree assault and one count each of third-degree assault. The April 15 shooting left four dead and 32 others injured.

According to Fifth Judicial District Attorney Mike Segrest, all six have been granted motions to sever their trials, which means they will be tried separately.

Although it may seem like a waiting game on the outside, there is plenty of work to be done for Segrest and other investigators.

<snip>

Because of the way district court works, there are only two court terms in Dadeville each year and each lasts two weeks. Segrest predicts each trial for all six defendants will take the entire two-week term. The next Dadeville court term is in June, but Segrest said he doesn’t expect to be ready to try any of the defendants until at least the December court term.

“One thing I’ve been talking with Judge (William) Wharton about is requesting additional jury terms for Dadeville to be able to speed this up,” Segrest said. “Even if we could try one in a week, we couldn’t strike from that same jury pool (for another defendant) so we have to wait till the next term for a co-defendant. With six trials and having only twice a year, it’ll take three years to try these cases and nothing else.”