Two charged with capital murder

Published 1:12 pm Monday, October 17, 2016

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Carlous Seals and Kennedy Lewis have been charged with capital murder. 

By Blake Deshazo | The Selma Times-Journal

Two Selma men have been charged with capital murder for allegedly shooting and killing a 23-year-old Selma man Saturday night.

Carlous Levon Seals, 36, was arrested Sunday and Kennedy Lewis, 19, was arrested Monday afternoon. Both are being held at the Dallas County Jail without bond.

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Tavaris Dion Williams, 23, of Selma, was shot to death at the intersection of U.S. Highway 80 and Old Montgomery Highway between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Lt. Sam Miller with the Selma Police Department said the victim was pronounced dead on the scene from a gunshot wound to the chest.

According to Miller, Williams was inside of a vehicle when he was shot.

Video surveillance helped investigators identify Seals and Lewis as the alleged shooters.

“The video surveillance showed cars that pulled up,” Miller said. “They got out of the cars and shot toward the victim.”

Both weapons investigators believe were used in the shooting have been recovered. Miller could not specify the caliber but confirmed both weapons were handguns.

“It appears family members retaliated against this young man because he had been in several domestic violence disputes with their daughter,” Miller said. “There were allegations of abuse, domestic violence between the victim and his girlfriend.”

According to Miller, Seals and Lewis are Williams’ girlfriend’s stepfather and brother.

A police report was filed last week regarding allegations of domestic disputes between Williams and his girlfriend, according to Miller.

Miller said no warrant had been issued for Williams.

Seals and Lewis were both brought in for questioning at the police department before being arrested. Miller said officers had enough probable cause to arrest them both and charge them with capital murder.

The Selma Police Department is not releasing the surveillance video at this time. Preliminary hearings for Seals and Lewis have been scheduled for Nov. 10 at 9 a.m., according to District Attorney Michael Jackson.

Seals will be represented by attorneys Vonda Bonham and Kyra Sparks, and Lewis will be represented by Brandon Wooten.