Police in southwestern Alabama said Sunday a 27-year-old man who confessed to killing five people early Saturday, including a pregnant woman, will be charged with six counts of capital murder.
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He then returned to the home on Jim Platt Road sometime between 1:15 a.m. and daylight and killed five victims as they slept, authorities said. Dearman, accompanied by his fahter, then went to the Green County Sheriff’s Office in MS to turn himself in, according to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Department statement. Dearman and his father went to the Green County Sheriff’s Office to turn himself in, while Laneta took the infant to Citronelle police to provide her account.
Dearman’s girlfriend, 24-year-old Laneta Lester, was staying at the home to avoid Dearman, who said to be abusing her.
Burch said that it wasn’t immediately clear whether the victims had been attacked while sleeping or had engaged in a prolonged struggle. Following a conversation with his father, Dearman released the woman and infant and turned himself into authorities.
Burch said he understood that Citronelle police responded to the call, but found no one.
The prowler, believed to be Dearman, returned after 1 a.m. and allegedly killed the victims, according to Burch.
Following the murders, Dearman then forced Lester and the infant into a vehicle and fled to MS, where his father lived.
Chelsea Reed was five months pregnant, according to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.
Police said several weapons were found at the scene, and some of the victims had been shot.
Captain Paul Burch of the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office was quoted as saying police are still working to identify the bodies and to notify their next of kin.
Prior to his killing spree, authorities told of Dearman having an outstanding warrant in Mobile County for burglary.
Residents of the house called 911 to report a trespasser between midnight and 1am on Saturday, and Dearman appears to have been identified as the trespasser.
Burch said the scene that may take days to process.
“We’re not there yet”, said Rich, who told reporters in her entire career she’s never seen a crime scene so horrific.
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Citronelle is a small community of 4,000 people about 35 miles from Mobile.
