crime

Pictured from left to right: Jeanee Kay Vick, Jeff Walker Thomas, James Randall Hammack, Corey Glenn Holladay and John Tyler Anderson. | Photo courtesy of the Fayette County Jail 

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office have made five arrests related to various crimes following multiple investigations. 

Fayette was forever changed by a heartbreaking tragedy that occurred one summer night in 1971. On Wednesday, July 21, six-year-old Mary Ann Johnson was found dead. According to the Broadcaster newspaper, her unclothed body was discovered in a wooded area near the Spring Street Housing Project after a frantic search by local law enforcement. The incident cast a long shadow over the community, a sorrow that lingers even today.

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance for any information regarding break-ins at three local churches. The burglaries have occurred over the past month. The churches that were targeted are all within the same geographical area on County Road 35. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with any information is urged to call the sheriff’s office at (205) 932-3205.

A defendant responsible for the murder of his former wife has been sentenced to serve two life sentences in prison, 24th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Andy Hamlin announced.

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Berry Police Department, have charged two Fayette County residents in a fentanyl trafficking case.

A Fayette man has been arrested and charged with animal cruelty following reports from various dog owners. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation after receiving complaints about cruelty/abuse at “Simmons Banded Retrievers,” where a chocolate Labrador named “Remi” was attending obedience training. Reports show that the business is owned and operated by Lacey Simmons.

Friday, Aug. 30, will mark the two year anniversary of the death of Kenneth “Kenny” Spinato. In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, Spinato was found dead in his home. Investigators quickly determined that Spinato was a victim of a homicide. The investigation is still active and there is a $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder of Spinato.

A quiet Wednesday night turned into a hot pursuit, resulting in the arrest of a Mississippi man. On Wednesday, Aug. 21, around 10 p.m., Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Williams attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver, however, fled down Hwy 102 near Fowlers Crossroads, reaching speeds of 109 mph, according to Fayette County Sheriff Byron Yerby.

On Saturday, July 27, at approximately 9:10 p.m. Tuscaloosa Police responded to reports of a shooting in the parking lot of Embassy Suites in downtown Tuscaloosa located on 2410 University Blvd. According to Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit (VCU) Captain Jack Kennedy, one male was found deceased at the scene. The victim was identified as Howell Booth Holland III, 21, of Fayette.

On Saturday, June 29, Michael Wade Tucker was taken into custody and subsequently charged with the murder of 21-year-old Laci Whitson, according to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. Reports show that Tucker was the last known person to be with Whitson who was reported missing by her family earlier this week.