On Wednesday the 13th of March, a Covington County jury convicted Anthony James “A.J.” Siler Jr. 50, of Opp of murder and squandering of a body for the shooting death in July of Michael Devone Davis, 44 who was also from Opp. A.J. Siler Jr. was the Assistant District Attorney Nikki Stephens and District Attorney Walt Merrell tried the matter on behalf of the state. The jury, made up of eight men and four ladies, deliberated nearly an hour before deciding the guilty verdicts. The Circuit judge Charles “Lex” Short presided on the trial.
According to the office of the district attorney the evidence that was presented at trial demonstrated that on July 15th in 2019, Siler was involved in multiple interactions with Davis at the vicinity of Childre Trailer Park in Opp and the Hardin Street Complex. The encounters among Siler and Davis became more intense, as per witnesses. One witness said that at some point, Siler was angry at Davis discussing their sexual histories and began to bang his fists against the dash of the vehicle. Following that, Siler told the same witness he was planning to murder Davis.
Two witnesses also testified that they witnessed Siler later in the evening en his way to Childre Trailer Park. They reported the sight of Siler turn towards Davis while he was walking down the road. Siler did not react and testified that it was just to avoid the pothole. Eyewitnesses both testified that Siler immediately walked out of his car and then walked towards Davis with a shotgun that he had tucked in the seat of his driver in his car. When he confronted Davis by shooting him with the weapon witnesses both testified that they had a brief conversation exchanged between them. Davis shouting, “I won’t back down,” right before Siler hit the trigger in point blank the range. Both witnesses testified to jurors that Davis was not armed at the time Siler hit him in the chest.
Siler then directed one of witnesses to transfer the body to Siler’s vehicle, and warned that he would kill witnesses as well as the family of one in the event that they refused. Siler then drove off from Opp through Highway 331 toward Florala and then to New Hope Church Road, in which the body was dropped Davis body in a pond that was swampy. Siler later admitted to the police that he returned to Opp and abandoned his car and the gun in the vacant house located on Mullins Street, and attempted to return to the scene of the crime to retrieve his cell phone as well as the empty shot shell. Siler was able to escape police throughout all night but was eventually taken into custody within the Fleeta community the next morning.
Opp Police Chief Kevin Chance presented testimony on the department’s initial response and the investigation. Jurors also heard of OPD captain Josh Hudson and Special Agent Senior Brian Harvin of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigations. two witnesses of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences were also present to the jury as expert witnesses for the State. The Examiner for Firearms and Toolmarks Michelle Cuenco testified regarding distance tests she conducted and concluded for the jury that the gunshot injury to Davis the body was sustained between contact with no over six inches. Doctor. Edward Reedy performed the autopsy of Davis body and concluded that Davis passed away by homicide due to a gunshot wound on his chest.
Then, Andalusia Police Department Captain Brett Holmes, formerly an investigator in the District Attorney’s Office, testified about an interview he conducted with Siler along with the Chief Nickey Carnley, who is also an investigator for the District Attorney’s Office. Holmes described to the jurors Siler freely admitted to killing Davis and claimed the act was self-defense.
Siler stood in the defense of himself. Siler said to the jury Davis approached him with the knife and a stick. Siler also admitted that Davis dropped the weapons when he was faced by the gun of Siler and Siler killed him nonetheless. Siler acknowledged before his jury the thing that was the most crucial for Siler was what the “streets” considered of him.
The Assistant District Attorney Nikki Stephens was the first chair prosecutor of the State.
“span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; font-family”Arial”, sans serif and color black ;”>”Perhaps more than any other defendant that I’ve prosecuted AJ Siler showed absolutely no regret for the murder of Michael,” Stephens said. “He killed a man who was not armed due to having decided to shoot him and he even admitted to the police he did so. The self-defense claims he made were false and the lies kept growing even in the trial that had him in the witness stand. Society should be protected from those who .”
District Attorney Walt Merrell, who assisted Stephens with his prosecution He said that the district attorney was proud “of witnesses who were brought forward. They are a perfect example of the values our community is about. They did what was right in addition, AJ Siler now knows that the people of Opp are not going to tolerate this kind of lawlessness. .”
The prosecution expressed its gratitude to everyone who helped in the prosecution and investigation that includes those from the Opp Police Department, Covington County Sheriff’s Office, Andalusia Police Department, State Bureau of Investigations, Opp Fire Department, Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Stephens stated that she is “particularly thankful for the jury’s work and their care for the smallest details that revealed the truth about the events that took place to Michael. I am grateful for their verdicts and that Michael’s family have finally received justice that was long-awaited over his murder. .”
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 28 starting at 9 a.m. Murder is classified as a Class A criminal offense that can be punished with a maximum sentence of up to 10 years prison. The act of abusing a corpse is a class C crime that is typically punished by a term of up at 10 years. But, since Siler already has five previous convictions for felony crimes, including a violent conviction for burglary in the first degree the sentence will be determined under the Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act. Based on his prior convictions and convictions, he is facing an obligatory sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted of murder, as well as 15 years of sentence to life for a crime committed by the corpse. Siler is currently in Covington County Jail. Covington County Jail in the midst of sentencing.
Its style=”font-size: 12.0pt; font-family”Arial”, sans-serif, color black ;”>”We are asking the judge to award Silver the maximum amount of time under the law and run two sentences concurrently. He must spend his final days in prison. He is not entitled to anything other than that,” Merrell said.
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