An ax-wielding man, Derrick Dearman, 27, of Leakesville, Mississippi who slayed five people inside an Alabama home has blamed his violent rampage on methamphetamine, according to CBS News.
When Dearman learned that his 24-year-old girlfriend, Laneta Lester, was hiding in a home located in Citronelle, Alabama, after a domestic dispute, he followed her.
After arriving at the home, he broke in and butchered five people to death with an ax as they were sleeping, including a “woman who was five months pregnant with her first child.”
Police: Man admits to killing one of five victims in mass slaying in southern Alabama https://t.co/Z5QpFgMPe5 pic.twitter.com/LYeukLt1G8
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) August 22, 2016
It was later uncovered that Dearman also used a gun in the Alabama slaying.
The following day, the bodies of Shannon Melissa Randall, 35, Justin Kaleb Reed, 23, Joseph Adam Turner, 26, Robert Lee Brown, 26, and Chelsea Marie Reed, 22, were found dead in the home.
Afterward, Dearman reportedly kidnapped his girlfriend and drove her to his father’s home.
The suspect later turned himself in.
Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran said:
“They were down for the night sleeping, and he had enough familiarity with the house when he entered – I guess you could say in a rage – and he’s disabling people as he’s in there.”
“He was able to overpower them before they were able to protect themselves.”
.@team_sheriff releases names of the 5 victims in Cintronelle, Alabama slaying. @weartv https://t.co/ckUbVLanql pic.twitter.com/Btb32iSCd9
— Allie Norton (@AllieLNorton) August 21, 2016
Police arrested Dearman on six counts of capital murder.
As police officials escorted Dearman to the county jail on Monday, he said:
“Drugs were making me think things that wasn’t really there.”
Cochran added:
“Dearman let drugs just grip him and get control of his anger.”
“His history shows he’s long had anger problems.”
“That’s just a bad mix, that and drugs.”
#News Suspect in Alabama house murders used ax, gun in middle of night, police say: A man accused of slaying … https://t.co/Jfy0RB4U3x
— THAILAND [ News ] (@nakhon224) August 24, 2016
An unnamed man, who allowed Dearman to live with him, confirmed that the suspect was “often on methamphetamine and physically abused” his girlfriend.
Dearman appeared in court Wednesday at the Mobile County Circuit Court, where a judge denied bond.
After the Alabama slaying, a relative created a Go Fund Me account to help with funeral expenses.
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