Second suspect arraigned, two still wanted in capital murder

Published 8:36 pm Thursday, July 13, 2017

A 19-year-old Selma man charged with capital murder appeared in court Thursday for the first time.

Mitchell Williams was arraigned by Judge Collins Pettaway Jr., who made sure he understood what he was charged with and advised him of his rights.

Williams was not appointed an attorney and requested a week’s time to hire one. Pettaway scheduled a preliminary hearing for Aug. 2 at 2 p.m.

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Williams is charged with capital murder for his alleged involvement in the fatal drive-by shooting of 17-year-old Christopher Devon Lee II on July 3. Williams was arrested three days after the shooting.

He was captured in Huntsville by agents with the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Task Force and the Huntsville Police Department’s SWAT Team.

He was taken into custody without incident at a home on the 4700 block of Broadmeadow Lane. Williams was extradited back to Selma over the weekend.

Markel Collins, 16, was arrested hours after the murder happened, which was just before noon. Collins is also charged with capital murder. He was arraigned on July 5, also by Pettaway.  During the hearing Pettaway read a probable cause warrant, which revealed Collins alleged role in the fatal shooting. According to the warrant, witnesses said Collins drove the car where shots were fired from that killed Lee. Mitchell’s role has not been revealed.

According to Lt. Tory Neely with the Selma Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, Lee was gunned down on the front porch of a home on the 1500 block of Washington Street.

Selma Police Chief Spencer Collier said Thursday the department is continuing to work with the U.S. Marshals to apprehend two other suspects wanted for capital murder – 23-year-old Jamarius Shaw and 18-year-old Ceddarius Williams.

Investigators believe the shooting was an act of retaliation.

Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson believes it is also gang-related.

Collier said the department is still awaiting autopsy results from the Alabama Department of Forensic Science to determine how many times Lee was shot and what kind of weapon or weapons he was shot with.

A preliminary hearing for Collins was also scheduled for Aug. 2 at 2 p.m. Collins was appointed two attorneys – Bill Whatley and Tarackia Barge.

Collier said Shaw and Williams are considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the remaining two suspects is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-442-7463, the SPD Criminal Investigation Division at (334) 874-2125 or the secret witness line at (334) 874-2190.