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So my mom calls me, and a guy who may well be one of my old friends from middle school and little league baseball, and grew up down the street from me, has been arrested and charged with capital murder. To say the least, I'm stunned.
Five more arrests made in Henry County murder
The guy in question is Stuckey. I've talked with one of my friends who's back in Dothan, since I can't find a picture online, but he never knew Stuckey that well. Still, from the sound of it, chances are pretty good that it's him. Like I said, stunned.
Five more arrests made in Henry County murder
Five more arrests made in Henry County murder
By Mark Randall / Eagle Staff Writer
March 8, 2005
The family of a man found murdered in Henry County are praising the persistence of a sheriff's investigator for breaking open the year-old case, leading to the weekend arrests of five additional suspects who are now charged with capital murder.
Authorities on Saturday arrested Sarah Michelle Drescher, 20 of Headland, Mark Anthony Hammond, 36, of Newton, Morris Scott Mathis, 23, of Dothan, James William Bailey IV, 27, of Dothan, and John Edward Parmer, 24, of Dothan, and charged each of them with capital murder. Charges pending against James Adger Stuckey, 28, of Dothan, were also upgraded in connection with the March 2004 murder of Charles James "CJ" Hatfield.
Henry County Sheriff Lawton Ed Armstrong said the six arrests are the most ever in a capital murder case in the Wiregrass.
"This is probably the most individuals for one capital case in this area that has ever been charged, certainly in this county," Armstrong said.
Hatfield was found shot to death in a rural area of northwest Henry County off County Road 104 last March by Henry County Coroner Derrick Wright and his brother Clay Wright, who were scouting for turkeys. Hatfield had been shot three times in the upper body.
Stuckey was arrested last year and charged with Hatfield's murder but the case remained closed for the most part up until a few months ago when Sheriff's Detective Allen Hendrickson re-opened the case and began chasing down leads, often on his own time.
According to Armstrong, new information linked the five to the murder.
"It was a hard case," Armstrong said. "We had a body that was found in western Henry County and we had to start from scratch. But we were able to continue getting information in this case and had enough to charge them with capital murder."
Armstrong said all five of the individuals arrested were known to associate with each other and knew Hatfield.
"They were all acquaintances," Armstrong said. "They knew each other and the victim. They just kept quiet and kept their stories intact so they wouldn't break."
Authorities believe the shooting was drug related. Hatfield accompanied Stuckey to Atlanta to buy about $3,000 worth of illegal drugs, according to police. While in Atlanta, the two men were robbed. Stuckey believed the robbery had been set up by Hatfield and responded by shooting him, police said earlier. Hatfield was seen in Stuckey's company prior to the shooting.
"I think that theory still stands basically probably over some drugs," Armstrong said.
Armstrong said they believe all five were present when Hatfield was shot and that there was more than one shooter involved. Police recovered a .38-caliber gun they believe may have been the weapon used to kill Hatfield from an acquaintance of Stuckey's and found another, a .380 handgun, in his truck.
Hatfield's mother, Doni Mobley, said her son was easy going and well liked but hung around with the wrong sort of people.
"He didn't deal drugs," Mobley said. "He would use them occasionally but more in a social setting. He would go back and forth at times and just hang out with the wrong people."
Davie Green, Hatfield's ex-girlfriend and mother of the couple's four year old twins, blames Drescher for Hatfield's demise.
"I think it's all her fault," Green said. "CJ (Hatfield) was not friends with them. CJ was dating Sara. She introduced him to Stuckey in order to have some stuff go down so that they could afford a place to live. That's when all this transpired."
Green said Hatfield went to Atlanta with Stuckey hoping to get enough money to rent an apartment for himself and Drescher. They were living with Drescher's grandmother at the time, she said.
"Seeing all of them really made me angry just for the fact that the families are here crying," Green said. "CJ wasn't a perfect person. CJ did things he should not have done. But he doesn't deserve this. Nobody deserves this. You have six people who in one year could have said something at any time and didn't. I'd like to see all of them found guilty."
Hammond, Bailey, Mathis, Stuckey, and Parmer are scheduled to have a preliminary hearing April 6.
Eagle Staff Writer Mark Randall can be reached at mrandall@dothaneagle.com or 712-7961.
By Mark Randall / Eagle Staff Writer
March 8, 2005
The family of a man found murdered in Henry County are praising the persistence of a sheriff's investigator for breaking open the year-old case, leading to the weekend arrests of five additional suspects who are now charged with capital murder.
Authorities on Saturday arrested Sarah Michelle Drescher, 20 of Headland, Mark Anthony Hammond, 36, of Newton, Morris Scott Mathis, 23, of Dothan, James William Bailey IV, 27, of Dothan, and John Edward Parmer, 24, of Dothan, and charged each of them with capital murder. Charges pending against James Adger Stuckey, 28, of Dothan, were also upgraded in connection with the March 2004 murder of Charles James "CJ" Hatfield.
Henry County Sheriff Lawton Ed Armstrong said the six arrests are the most ever in a capital murder case in the Wiregrass.
"This is probably the most individuals for one capital case in this area that has ever been charged, certainly in this county," Armstrong said.
Hatfield was found shot to death in a rural area of northwest Henry County off County Road 104 last March by Henry County Coroner Derrick Wright and his brother Clay Wright, who were scouting for turkeys. Hatfield had been shot three times in the upper body.
Stuckey was arrested last year and charged with Hatfield's murder but the case remained closed for the most part up until a few months ago when Sheriff's Detective Allen Hendrickson re-opened the case and began chasing down leads, often on his own time.
According to Armstrong, new information linked the five to the murder.
"It was a hard case," Armstrong said. "We had a body that was found in western Henry County and we had to start from scratch. But we were able to continue getting information in this case and had enough to charge them with capital murder."
Armstrong said all five of the individuals arrested were known to associate with each other and knew Hatfield.
"They were all acquaintances," Armstrong said. "They knew each other and the victim. They just kept quiet and kept their stories intact so they wouldn't break."
Authorities believe the shooting was drug related. Hatfield accompanied Stuckey to Atlanta to buy about $3,000 worth of illegal drugs, according to police. While in Atlanta, the two men were robbed. Stuckey believed the robbery had been set up by Hatfield and responded by shooting him, police said earlier. Hatfield was seen in Stuckey's company prior to the shooting.
"I think that theory still stands basically probably over some drugs," Armstrong said.
Armstrong said they believe all five were present when Hatfield was shot and that there was more than one shooter involved. Police recovered a .38-caliber gun they believe may have been the weapon used to kill Hatfield from an acquaintance of Stuckey's and found another, a .380 handgun, in his truck.
Hatfield's mother, Doni Mobley, said her son was easy going and well liked but hung around with the wrong sort of people.
"He didn't deal drugs," Mobley said. "He would use them occasionally but more in a social setting. He would go back and forth at times and just hang out with the wrong people."
Davie Green, Hatfield's ex-girlfriend and mother of the couple's four year old twins, blames Drescher for Hatfield's demise.
"I think it's all her fault," Green said. "CJ (Hatfield) was not friends with them. CJ was dating Sara. She introduced him to Stuckey in order to have some stuff go down so that they could afford a place to live. That's when all this transpired."
Green said Hatfield went to Atlanta with Stuckey hoping to get enough money to rent an apartment for himself and Drescher. They were living with Drescher's grandmother at the time, she said.
"Seeing all of them really made me angry just for the fact that the families are here crying," Green said. "CJ wasn't a perfect person. CJ did things he should not have done. But he doesn't deserve this. Nobody deserves this. You have six people who in one year could have said something at any time and didn't. I'd like to see all of them found guilty."
Hammond, Bailey, Mathis, Stuckey, and Parmer are scheduled to have a preliminary hearing April 6.
Eagle Staff Writer Mark Randall can be reached at mrandall@dothaneagle.com or 712-7961.
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