Ben Christopher McClure and James Edward WootenNo court dates are set and the men charged in a DeKalb County, Ala., slaying remain behind bars without bond in the Saturday shooting death of a 36-year-old Fyffe man, according to officials.
DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris said the slaying is "one of the most violent murders I've seen in over 25 years."
Michael Arnold Johnson was found dead around 4 p.m. CDT Saturday, shot multiple times at his home on County Road 578, according to a news release issued by Harris on Sunday.
James Edward Wooten, 36, of Powell, Ala., was taken into custody about eight hours later, but the other suspect, Ben Christopher McClure, 20, was holed up with an assault rifle at a home near the Antioch community not far from the Jackson-DeKalb county line, according to Harris.
McClure was said to have made threats that "he would not go to jail without a fight," the sheriff said.
The county's Special Response Team set up a perimeter around the residence while officers evacuated nearby residents as the operation moved into the early morning hours on Sunday. Harris said negotiators talked with McClure for about two hours, eventually getting four family members released from the home followed by McClure who finally came out unarmed.
A search of the home produced the suspected murder weapon, an AK-47-type rifle with a 30-round magazine, which was found near McClure's sleeping area. The vehicle used in the killing and other evidence was recovered from the home but authorities didn't provide any descriptions or details about other items seized.
McClure is now charged with murder and Wooten is charged with hindering prosecution. The investigation is ongoing, Harris said.
"It was hard to see the family as we told them their loved one was gone," Harris said in the release.
"The suspects fled the scene and we had people in three counties helping us look for them," Harris said. "Having an AK-47-style rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammo loose in the hands of this shooter made every officer more safety conscious when making these arrests."
Sheriff's department officials on Monday said that no court dates or bonds had been set for the two men, and that court and the sheriff's office were closed for Columbus Day.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.