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Thread: Justin MacNeill and Clifton Ridgeway Sentenced to LWOP in 2015 AL Murder of Myron Beavers

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  1. #1
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Justin MacNeill and Clifton Ridgeway Sentenced to LWOP in 2015 AL Murder of Myron Beavers

    Cleveland man charged with capital murder in beating death of 51-year-old in Blountsville

    A Cleveland man is facing capital murder charges for allegedly beating a 51-year-old Blountsville man to death, Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey announced this morning.

    After leading authorities on cross-county chase, 24-year-old Justin MacNeill was arrested on two counts of capital murder in the death of Myron Beavers, who was found dead inside his home on College Street Wednesday afternoon.

    According to Casey, an argument over drugs and stolen money led to MacNeill using an ax-like weapon to brutally murder Beavers, marking the fourth drug-related homicide in the county this year. At a news conference today, Casey pointed to lenient sentencing guidelines as a major reason for the drug killings.

    "My law enforcement officers are risking their lives day and night to pick up drug dealers, only for these guidelines to put them back on the street," Casey said. "And it has to stop."

    In an interview with ABC 33/40 reporter Marissa Mitchell, Beavers' parents said they are heartbroken over the "senseless" murder of their son.

    "He was a good boy, he didn't hurt nobody," said Wilburn Beavers, the victim's father. "There was no reason for anybody to kill him."

    http://www.abc3340.com/story/2951133...n-blountsville
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  2. #2
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    'Dangerous' hatchet murder suspect recaptured after escape in Blount County

    Blount County, Ala. — Tracking dogs, a helicopter and a lot of law enforcement combed Oneonta inch by inch Saturday night in search of escapee Justin MacNeill. He was last seen at the Blount County Correctional Facility around 5:15pm. Dogs had a scent for a few hours, before it went cold.

    Hours later a tip came in leading them to a female friend of MacNeill's home on Camellia Court a few miles from the jail. She alerted authorities. "Our investigation is continuing to see if we will charge her formally for aiding and abetting or harboring a fugitive," explained Deputy Tim Kent, Operations Officer for the Blount County Sheriff's Office.

    The focus now what security lapses allowed this inmate charged with capital murder, to slip out. "These inmates have 24 hours, 7 days a week to look at how to defeat this system. He found a glitch and exposed it," said Kent.

    Here's what investigators know so far: MacNeill is locked down for 23 hours a day in his cell. By law, he must be allowed out of his cell one hour a day to shower, make calls or do rec time. It was during that time that he managed to escape Saturday. He kicked through a red fire door. Then made it to an outer courtyard area where a ladder left behind by maintenance workers allowed him to get over the fence.

    "We're going to take necessary steps to make sure this doesn't happen again. We will correct the problem," promised Kent.

    He says on the positive side nobody was hurt and it was a tremendous effort by deputies, local police, US Marshals, and tracking dogs from the Department of Corrections to bring this incident to a safe close.

    District Attorney Pamela Casey says she will meet with the sheriff this week to ensure proper security measures are in place.

    MacNeill now faces escape charges in addition to the capital murder charges he previously faced from July. He is accused of killing a man with a hatchet.

    ---------------------

    UPDATE:

    Justin MacNeill is back in custody. He was caught early Sunday morning. Deputy Tim Kent tells ABC3340 their office got a tip MacNeill was at a residence off Springville Blvd. Once deputies arrived on scene "he gave up with no problems." The location was about 2-3 miles from the jail where he escaped from.

    ----------------------

    Authorities say a "dangerous inmate" escaped from the Blount County Correctional Facility.

    Saturday night an alert was sent out saying Justin MacNeill was last seen at the facility around 5:10 p.m. MacNeill was being held at the facility on capital murder charges.

    http://abc3340.com/news/local/inmate...nt-county-jail
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  3. #3
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    Blount County man guilty of capital murder in 2015 hatchet killing

    By Carol Robinson
    al.com

    A 27-year-old Blount County man has been found guilty of capital murder in the 2015 hatchet slaying of another man.

    A jury on Monday returned the verdict against Justin MacNeill. He was convicted of two counts of capital murder in the killing of 51-year-old Myron Brian Beavers, whose truck and debit card were stolen during the attack, said District Attorney Pamela Casey.

    The verdict was read about 9 a.m. after seven days of trial. Deliberations began on Friday. MacNeill was sentenced to life in prison without parole, a sentence the victim's family supported.

    "We are pleased with the verdict of the jury. This was a difficult case to hear due to the horrific manner of death,'' Casey said. "I appreciate the work of Investigator Lynn Chambless and Investigator Fred Cochran of the Blount County Sheriff's Office."

    MacNeill was one of two people charged in Beavers' death. Clifton Ridgeway, 24, has not yet gone to trial.

    Authorities said they were alerted to the killing after capturing MacNeill and two others during a 10-mile police pursuit Wednesday on Interstate 59.

    It all began when an Alabama state trooper working the I-59 construction zone in Etowah County spotted a woman running in traffic. He tried to catch her, but lost sight of her. While he was looking for her, another motorist told the trooper that a brown pickup truck had sideswiped a vehicle and fled the scene. The trooper then found the brown truck and attempted a traffic stop. The two men inside refused to pull over, and the chase was on. The men were finally taken into custody near the rest area at mile marker 169 in St. Clair County after a second deputy deployed spike strips in the roadway.

    "We definitely didn't know what we were getting into," Senior Trooper Chuck Daniel told AL.com in 2015. "One of the passengers in the truck made a spontaneous statement about a body in Blount County, and we alerted the Blount County Sheriff's Office. They found the body."

    Court records show MacNeill's passenger - Ridgeway - told lawmen at the stop that MacNeill had killed a man in Blountsville. He said he and MacNeill had spent the night at Beavers' house, and said he was awakened by a fight between Beavers and MacNeill.

    The fight, Casey said, was over money that MacNeill had stolen from Beavers. MacNeill hit Beavers over the head with the hatchet multiple times, and then told Ridgeway to get in the truck with him.

    Troopers returned to the construction zone and located the woman who had previously been seen running in traffic. She had been in the truck with the two men, and she was also taken into custody.

    Casey said the two men and the woman were taken to the Blount County Sheriff's Office once they learned of the homicide. MacNeill had stolen $263 from Beavers, as well as his Cadence Bank debit card.

    Investigators went to Beavers' home at 211 College Street and found him dead inside under bed. He died from blunt force injuries to the head.

    Formal warrants against MacNeill were then obtained, charging him with capital murder-robbery and capital murder-burglary. Casey said MacNeill was in possession of Beavers' 1989 pickup truck and his debit card at the time of his arrest. Authorities said MacNeill stole the truck by using a screwdriver to start the ignition.

    According to court records filed in the case, investigators found the hatchet under the kitchen sink at Beavers' home.

    After being read his rights, MacNeill admitted to the killing. MacNeill, who was self-employed at the time of his arrest, pleaded guilty to theft of property in Blount County in 2014 stemming from a case two years earlier. He was sentenced to three years in the Blount County Community Corrections program.

    In January 2016, MacNeill escaped from the Blount County Correctional Facility. Authorities said he was last seen by jail personnel at around 5:10 p.m. that Saturday. Authorities said he kicked in the fire door at the jail and then jumping a fence using a ladder that had been left there as part of work being done at the jail. He was recaptured early the following morning after a police chase. He was charged with felony escape in that case.

    https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/i...rt_river_index

  4. #4
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    2nd man guilty of capital murder in 2015 Blount County hatchet killing


    By Carol Robinson
    AL.com

    A second man has been found guilty of capital murder in the 2015 hatchet slaying of another man.

    After just 45 minutes of deliberation, the Blount County jury Monday morning convicted Clifton Ridgeway, 26, in the slaying of 51-year-old Myron Brian Beavers. Ridgeway’s co-defendant, Justin MacNeill, was convicted in May 2018 and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

    Ridgeway was found guilty of two counts of capital murder. Jury selection began on Nov. 7 and the trial ended with closing arguments about 4:30 p.m. Friday.

    Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey and prosecutor Scott Gilliland presented evidence that Ridgeway and MacNeill went to Beavers’ home during the early morning hours of July 8, 2015. MacNeil struck Beavers in the head several times with the hatchet and MacNeil and Ridgeway then pushed Beavers under a bed where he later died.

    Blount County Circuit Judge William Hereford presided over the case and sentenced the defendant to life in prison without the possibility of parole immediately after the jury returned its verdict. This case was investigated by Capt. Len Chambless and Fred Cochran of the Blount County Sheriff’s Office.

    “We appreciate the jury’s verdict. The family of Myron Bryan Beavers has suffered much heartache as a result of his murder,’’ Casey said. “Mr. Beavers is survived by his parents, a brother, and a niece who suffered a tremendous loss then endured two grueling trials because they wanted to see Bryan’s killers brought to justice. I am pleased my office was able to be a small part of obtaining justice for this family and the perpetrators of this heinous crime.”

    https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2...t-killing.html
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