A homeless man is charged with four counts of Capital Murder in the deaths of three Guntersville residents.
Police say 53-year-old Jimmy Spencer brutally murdered an elderly woman, her great-grandson and their neighbor who lived on on Mulberry Street.
“It was gut wrenching. Very sad, I knew Marie and Martha both,” said Tina Burgess.
Marie Kitchens Martin, 74, her great-grandson Colton Lee, 7, and Martha Dale Reliford, 65 were brutally murdered in their Guntersville homes.
“I got to know them when the tornadoes hit down here. We took them food from the church and supply food and we would carry them food,” said Burgess. “Just got to know them then and they were just kind older women and that must of been what that man was looking for, easy prey,” she added.
That man is suspected murderer 53-year-old Jimmy Spencer.
“Mr. Spencer is being charged with four counts of Capital Murder for three separate victims that will be explained at a later time,” said Guntersville Police Chief Jim Peterson.
Spencer who is from Franklin County, spent several years in the state prison system. Police say he had no connection to the victims.
“How he got here we’re not totally sure, been here for a short period of time sleeping on park benches, occasionally in motel rooms around,” explained John Young Marshall the chief investigator with the Marshall County District Attorney’s Office.
Investigators are still waiting on the victims’ autopsies to determine the cause of death. They did say, that the murders of Martin and Lee last Friday were brutal.
“The totality of the circumstances and the child it’s bad enough for the adult but the child obviously and the manner of death when yall learn about that, that doesn’t help anything either,” Peterson said.
The motive is not being released at this time, but what is certain is this quiet neighborhood will never be the same.
“She’ll never be forgotten, I’ve been down here 21 years, she’s always been here, both of them,” said Burgess.
Spencer will now go before a grand jury.
