Suspect mugshots (Row 1) Johnny Brown, Willie Brown Jr. (Row 2) Travis McCullough, Wilson Hill Jr., Tyreese McCullough, Unidentified Juvenile Suspect
By John Brice
Correspondent
In the past several days since the mass shooting which claimed four lives and injured thirty-two people that occurred on Saturday, April 15th 2023 at the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio in Dadeville there have been six suspects arrested in connection with that crime. According to a press release from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency provided on April 20th “Tyreese ‘Ty Reik’ McCullough, 17, of Tuskegee and Travis McCullough, 16, also of Tuskegee were both arrested at approximately 8 p.m., on Tuesday, April 18. Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20, of Auburn, was arrested at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, and Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee, was arrested at approximately 8 a.m., and Willie George Brown Jr., 19, of Auburn, was arrested and formally charged with four counts of Reckless Murder on Thursday, April 20.” It went on to continue “At approximately 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, April 20, Special Agents with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), made a sixth arrest in connection to the Tallapoosa County death investigation in Dadeville. A 15-year-old juvenile of Tuskegee was arrested and formally charged with four counts of Reckless Murder.” Due to his age being under 16, suspect number six has had his name and bail conditions withheld by authorities who have also declined to comment on a motive, identify the weapons used by the assailants or how many shots they fired.
Reckless murder is defined in Section 13a-6-2 of the Alabama Code as occurring when “A person who commits the crime of reckless murder is ‘determined to act no matter what the consequences to others;’ this person demonstrates that he/she was ‘determined to follow a course of action that he/she knew, or should have known, would, in all probability’ lead to the death of a person or persons.” It goes on to continue “If the defendant allegedly intended to kill one person but is being charged with reckless murder because of other circumstances surrounding the case, you may wish to instruct the jury that ‘extreme indifference to human life’ means demonstrating extreme indifference to human life in general, not just extreme indifference to the life of a particular person or particular people.” Tallapoosa County District Attorney Mike Segrest has stated publicly that the suspects, excluding the 15 year old who is considered a juvenile, have been booked into the Tallapoosa County jail without bail. There will be an Aniah’s Law hearing held Tuesday, April 25th in which each of the suspects, except the juvenile, will be present.