2016 Citronelle homicides

Mass murder in Alabama, US December 2025 December 2021 2016 Citronelle homicides Citronelle, Alabama, US 2016 08 20 4:10 a.m. CT Mass shooting, mass murder *Axe Firearms 12-gauge shotgun .45-caliber handgunhttps://www.greenecountyheraldonline.com/2018/09/27/ala-jury-recommends-death-for-dearman/ Ala. jury recommends death for Dearman Greene County Herald September 27, 2018 6 (including an unborn child) 0 Derrick Ryan Dearman Unknown On August 20, 2016, a mass murder occurred in Citronelle, Alabama, United States, resulting in the deaths of five people, including a woman who was five months pregnant. They were killed in the early morning in a private residence in a rural area west of the city. The residence was owned by a brother of Laneta Lester, who had sought refuge there. She and her brother's infant were abducted and taken to Leakesville, Mississippi, by her estranged boyfriend, Derrick Dearman, and held for ransom. She was found alive but badly beaten that day. Lester returned with the infant to Citronelle after a ransom was paid. She notified police of the killings. Investigators described this mass killing as the worst in Mobile County's history. The house burned down a couple of weeks after the crime. Dearman was considered a suspect. He was subsequently arrested after he turned himself in at the Greene County, Mississippi police station. He was extradited to Alabama, where he was charged with six counts of capital murder (including the fetus, under Alabama law) and two counts of abduction with intent to defile and extortion. Initially he pleaded not guilty to the charges. In September of 2018, he pleaded guilty to the capital murder charges. He still had to face a jury trial, which convicted him of the murders, the kidnappings, and the beatings, and sentenced him to death. The Alabama Supreme Court upheld the sentence and authorized the state to set a date for his execution. Dearman's execution date was set by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey for October 17, 2024.September 4, 2024 Alabama sets mid-October execution date for man who killed 5 in ax and gun attack https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ap-alabama-montgomery-kay-ivey-supreme-court-b2606475.html The Independent He was executed on that date.Associated Press 2024-10-18 Alabama executes man who killed 5 and asked to be put to death https://www.npr.org/2024/10/18/g-s1-28846/alabama-execution-derrick-dearman-killed-5 2025-04-28 NPR en Shootings and melee murders In the early morning of August 20, 2016, a male assailant reportedly entered a residence in the 1700 block of Jim Platt Road about 4 a.m., in a rural area west of Citronelle. He killed five people who were sleeping, including two married couples, and a woman who was five months pregnant. He used a variety of weapons, including an axe and guns.https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/crime/2024/10/11/alabama-to-execute-derrick-dearman-thursday-for-2016-quintuple-murder/75604043007/ All victims were shot and then slashed with an axe, and all were dead at the scene.Spiritual adviser explains killers conscience https://www.wkrg.com/mobile-county/derrick-dearmans-spiritual-adviser-explains-killers-conscience-ahead-of-execution/ He kidnapped Laneta Lester, his estranged girlfriend, and an infant of her brother and his wife; he took them with him to his father's house in Leakesville, Mississippi, about 30 miles to the west. He later released them. Lester returned to Citronelle with the infant, where she went to the police department and notified authorities about the killings. She said she had been abducted by her estranged boyfriend, Derrick Dearman, and that he had killed the people at the house. The police found the five bodies at the crime scene. They said it would take time to process the crime scene. Initial reports said Lester had escaped from Dearman, but she and the infant were reportedly released by him.https://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/citronelle_mayor_city_is_in_sh.html#incart_river_index_topics Citronelle mayor: City is in 'shock' following murders Alabama Live August 22, 2016 September 2, 2016 John Sharphttp://bnonews.com/news/index.php/news/id5044 5 dead in 'gruesome' murders in Citronelle, Alabama BNO News August 21, 2016 September 1, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160824100333/http://bnonews.com/news/index.php/news/id5044 August 24, 2016 deadhttps://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/several_people_dead_at_citrone.html#incart_river_index_topics 5 dead, including pregnant woman, in south Alabama mass homicide Alabama Live August 20, 2016 September 1, 2016 Erin Edgemonhttps://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/authorities_horrific_citronell.html#incart_river_index_topics 'Horrific' Citronelle murders of 5 may take days to decipher, authorities say Alabama Live August 21, 2016 September 1, 2016 Lawrence Speckerhttps://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/citronelle_slaying_victims_ide.html#incart_river_index_topics Citronelle slaying victims identified, suspect charged with six counts of murder Alabama Live August 21, 2016 September 2, 2016 Ivana Hrynkiw Investigators said that residents had made a 911 call from the house about 1 a.m., several hours before the killings, and reported that Derrick Dearman was on the property. Officers responded to the house, but found no evidence of him on the wooded grounds and left. Investigators initially believed the attacker had used an axe and several firearms that were in the house in the attack, and that the killings were committed in the process of an attempted burglary or abduction.https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/ZZ/20160824/NEWS/160829033 The Latest: 'Several' firearms, axe used in Alabama killings Santa Cruz Sentinel August 24, 2016 September 3, 2016 Police found two firearms and a "bladed weapon" at the house.https://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/accused_citronelle_killer_used.html#incart_river_index_topics Accused Citronelle killer used ax first to murder victims; made several stops while fleeing to Mississippi Alabama Live August 23, 2016 September 5, 2016 John Sharp The attack was described as the worst mass killing in the history of Mobile County.http://wkrg.com/2016/08/31/derrick-dearman-pleads-not-guilty-in-the-citronelle-murders/ Derrick Dearman Pleads Not Guilty In The Citronelle Murders WKRG August 31, 2016 September 3, 2016 J.B. Biunno Jacqueline Quynh Victims Victims The deceased victims shared the house where the murders took place. It was owned by Lester's married brother, Joseph Adam Turner, who lived there with his wife. Lester was said to have gone there seeking refuge from her ex-boyfriend, Derrick Dearman, who lived in Mississippi. Lester's brother Joseph and his wife were both among the murder victims. The other three adult victims sharing the house included another married couple, of which the woman was five months pregnant.https://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/citronelle_quintuple_homicide.html#incart_river_index_topics Citronelle quintuple homicide: What we know Monday Alabama Live August 22, 2016 September 2, 2016 Ivana Hrynkiw The victims were named as:http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/citronelle_mayor_city_is_in_sh.html Citronelle mayor: City is in 'shock' following murders Alabama Live August 22, 2016 Sharp John September 1, 2016 Joseph Adam Turner, 26, Lester's brother Shannon Melissa Randall, 35, Turner's wife Robert Lee Brown, 26 Justin Kaleb Reed, 23 Chelsea Marie Reed, 22, Justin's wife, who was five months pregnanthttps://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/family_of_two_citronelle_murde.html#incart_river_index_topics Family of Citronelle victims: Remember who they were, not how they died Alabama Live August 22, 2016 September 5, 2016 Ivana Hrynkiw Perpetrator After Lester had notified police, a suspect, identified as Derrick Ryan Dearman (September 14, 1988 – October 17, 2024), surrendered to police in his hometown of Leakesville, Mississippi, located about 30 mi to the west of Citronelle. He reportedly surrendered after his father convinced him to do so. Dearman was the estranged boyfriend of Laneta Lester, who left him due to an allegedly abusive relationship and gone to Citronelle to her brother's house, seeking shelter with him. Dearman's ex-wife described him as having "a temper, especially when he doesn't get his way". He had two children from his marriage. In Mississippi, he had accumulated an extensive criminal record. Alabama quickly extradited Dearman to Citronelle under charges associated with the killings. Legal proceedings On August 22, Dearman was extradited to Mobile, Alabama, to face trial.https://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/citronelle_murder_suspect_derr.html#incart_river_index_topics Citronelle murder suspect Derrick Dearman bound for Mobile Alabama Live August 22, 2016 September 3, 2016 Lawrence Specker 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.https://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/derrick_dearman_accused_in_cit.html#incart_river_index_topics Derrick Dearman, Citronelle quintuple murder suspect: 'Don't do drugs' Alabama Live August 22, 2016 August 22, 2016 Lawrence Speckerhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-alabama-shooting-20160822-story.html Suspect in deaths of 5 in Alabama blames drugs for slaughter Associated Press Chicago Tribune August 22, 2016 September 3, 2016 The following day, he said he was on methamphetamine at the time of the killings, and blamed the killings on the influence of the drug.https://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/what_drove_derrick_dearman_to.html#incart_river_index_topics What drove Derrick Dearman to kill 5 people in Citronelle? Alabama Live Associated Press August 23, 2016 September 5, 2016 On August 31, 2016, Dearman was charged with six counts of capital murder (one charge for Chelsea Reed's fetus, under Alabama's fetal homicide lawhttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/five-dead-including-pregnant-woman-alabama-mass-killing-n635376 Five People, Including Pregnant Woman, Brutally Killed in Alabama NBC News August 22, 2016 September 3, 2016 Emma Margolin Matthew Grimson) and two counts of abduction. He pleaded not guilty to all of the counts.https://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/08/derrick_dearman_pleads_not_gui.html Derrick Dearman pleads not guilty in Citronelle mass murder Alabama Live August 31, 2016 Lawrence Specker September 1, 2016 It was classified as capital murder first, because it was associated with attempted burglary, and secondly, because two or more persons were killed in commission of the same crime.https://www.cnn.com/2016/08/21/us/alabama-citronelle-killings-baby-survives/index.html Man to be charged in Alabama mass murder Faith Karimi Thom Patterson August 21, 2016 CNN September 1, 2016 A couple of weeks after the murders, the Turner house burned down. Dearman was assigned two court-appointed defense attorneys. In mid-August 2017, Circuit Judge Rick Stout, at the request of the state, ordered Dearman to receive a mental evaluation, to be completed by the state of Alabama. It was intended to cover three topics: Dearman's competency to stand trial, his mental capacity at the time of the crimes, and his intelligence quotient (IQ). Around this time, one of his attorneys resigned from the case. Dearman objected to having his IQ and competency tested, as he had not made a plea related to either. He tried to establish limits to such testing, but the court denied the motion. The judge was to receive the results of the testing and review them before sharing with the prosecutor and defense.https://www.al.com/news/2018/02/in_citronelle_mass_murder_cour.html In Citronelle mass murder, court still evaluating accused killer Derrick Dearman Specker Lawrence AL.com 28 February 2018 4 October 2019 In September 2018, Dearman pleaded guilty to the charges of capital murder and kidnapping.https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/mississippi-man-seeks-to-plead-guilty-in-5-alabama-slayings/ Mississippi man pleads guilty in 5 Alabama slayings The Seattle Times September 10, 2018 September 11, 2018https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article218121580.html Mississippi man pleads guilty in 5 Alabama slayings Charlotte Observer September 10, 2018 September 11, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180910194019/https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article218121580.html September 10, 2018 dead Under Alabama law, because of the capital murder charges, he was still subject to a jury trial, with the possibility of receiving a death sentence. He had fired his two court-appointed attorneys before entering his plea. The judge ruled that he was fit to stand trial.https://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2018/09/judge_accepts_guilty_plea_from.html Judge accepts guilty plea from Citronelle quintuple murder suspect al.com September 10, 2018 September 11, 2018https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/09/10/us/ap-us-five-slain-alabama-the-latest.html The Latest: Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty in 5 Slayings The New York Times September 10, 2018 September 11, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180911114659/https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/09/10/us/ap-us-five-slain-alabama-the-latest.html September 11, 2018 dead At the jury trial, Dearman was found guilty on the six capital murder charges and first-degree kidnapping counts, and the jury approved the death sentence. This was affirmed by the court on October 12, 2018, and Dearman was sentenced to death for these murders.https://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2018/10/derrick_dearman_to_face_final.html Derrick Dearman sentenced to death for 2016 Citronelle slayings of five and unborn child al.com October 12, 2018 October 13, 2018 In April 2024, it was reported that Dearman had given up on trying to overturn his sentence.https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alabama-murderer-gives-appeals-asks-executed-victims-families-justice-rcna146404 Alabama murderer gives up appeals and asks to be executed so that victims' families have 'justice' NBC News April 4, 2024 May 12, 2024https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/death-row-inmate-wants-execution-b2527437.html Death row inmate who killed five, including pregnant woman, says he wants to be executed The Independent April 13, 2024 May 12, 2024 On September 3, 2024, the Alabama Supreme Court approved the death warrant of Dearman, who was scheduled to be executed on October 17, 2024.September 4, 2024 Alabama sets mid-October execution date for man who killed 5 in ax and gun attack https://apnews.com/article/alabama-death-penalty-lethal-injection-execution-325928569b3a276fd48999fd67fec3d1 AP News He was executed at 6:14 PM on October 17.Staff WALA Digital 2024-10-17 Derrick Dearman put to death for Citronelle murders https://www.fox10tv.com/2024/10/17/derrick-dearman-put-death-citronelle-murders/ 2024-10-17 WALA-TV en His last meal was a seafood platter brought to the prison from a local restaurant, consisting of "fried catfish, three fried shrimp, three boiled shrimp, three fried oysters, three onion rings, a deviled crab and two sides".https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/10/17/derrick-dearman-alabama-execution/75719604007/ Derrick Dearman executed in Alabama for murder of girlfriend's 5 family members Encinas Amaris Roney Marty USA Today October 17, 2024 November 21, 2024 See also Capital punishment in Alabama List of people executed in Alabama List of people executed in the United States in 2024 Volunteer (capital punishment) References ! colspan="3" | Executions carried out in Alabama Alan Eugene Miller September 26, 2024 Derrick Ryan Dearman October 17, 2024 Carey Dale Grayson November 21, 2024 |- ! colspan="3" | Executions carried out in the United States Garcia Glen White – Texas October 1, 2024 Derrick Ryan Dearman – Alabama October 17, 2024 Richard Bernard Moore – South Carolina November 1, 2024 Category:2016 in Alabama Category:2016 mass shootings in the United States Category:2016 murders in the United States Category:Attacks in the United States in 2016 Category:Deaths by firearm in Alabama Citronelle Category:Mass shootings in Alabama Category:2016 mass murders