Message From The Sheriff
MESSAGE FROM SHERIFF
NICK WELDEN  ( read )
Phone:
EMERGENCY: 911
24 Hours:
256-845-3801
Crime Tip:
256-845-3801
Address:
2801 Jordan Road SW
Fort Payne, AL 35968
Administrative Office:
Monday - Friday
8:00am - 4:00pm


12/18/2013

Geraldine Homicide

MEDIA RELEASE

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                 December 18, 2013 

 

                                                            Geraldine Homicide

 

 

Sheriff Jimmy Harris states as follows:

New developments in the case involving the body discovered in Geraldine Tuesday. Geraldine Police Department Chief Nelson Gregory responded to a car fire on County Road 135 along with Geraldine Fire Department. After extinguishing the fire, Chief Gregory notified Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office that there was a body in the vehicle. Investigators went to the scene and began an investigation into the owner of the car and then identified the person in the vehicle. The car was determined to be from Etowah County and belonged to a person who was listed as missing. Dekalb and Etowah investigators began to work a homicide due to several circumstances. District Attorney Mike Odell authorized an autopsy at Alabama Department of Forensic Science in Huntsville which was performed Wednesday. The body was positively identified as Gary Lee Willis, 38 of Boaz, AL.

The cause of death has been determined as multiple gunshot wounds. This investigation is ongoing with Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office and Alabama State Fire Marshal working with drug units from all three counties. Several leads are being pursued at this time. Harris states “we are working hard to follow these leads. Our people were out all night and additional officers were assigned today to help in getting this case solved. Any person with information on this case should call the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office at 256-845-3801.