The Selma Times-Journal

James Whitt, 44, was shot and killed late Thursday night in Potter’s Station as police discovered his body outside near the back door of his mobile home in the 3300 block of Dallas County Rd. 44.

The Selma Police Department reported its second homicide of the year, as the preliminary cause of death appeared to be a single gunshot wound to the head. Dallas County Coroner Alan Dailey pronounced Whitt dead at the scene.

Police were called to the scene at 10:25 p.m. and found the body of an unresponsive victim lying at the rear of the residence, just outside the back door.

No arrests have been made, and police did not offer a motive for the slaying.

“While there has not been a suspect taken into custody at this time, the substantial leads and evidence leave police officials confident they will be able to make an arrest in the near future,” Lt. David Evans said Friday in a news release.

“Selma Police Detectives were notified and responded to the scene. They then took statements from potential witnesses and gathered physical evidence at the scene,” Evans said. “This evidence has now been taken to Montgomery from processing.”

The body was transported to Montgomery to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences where an autopsy will be performed, police said.

Whitt’s death was the third homicide in Dallas County this year. In both other instances suspects were arrested and charged with murder.

Tommy Lee Gutheridge, 57, was arrested earlier this year and charged with murder in the shooting death of Sarah Monique Thomas, 27, as she sat in a vehicle at 34 Co. Rd. 157

in Five Points. Gutheridge called authorities shortly after shooting Thomas telling deputies where the incident occurred.

Zachariah Wilson, 27, was arrested and charged with capital murder for the April 13 shooting death of Jerry Lee Moore, 32, of Marion. Moore’s body was discovered leaned back behind the driver’s side of his station wagon at the intersection of Minter Avenue and Kayser Street.