A 14-year-old Alabama boy is accused of fatally shooting his teen brother, dragging his body into the woods, and penning a hit list that included other members of his family that he wanted a friend to help him kill and bury.
The investigation began about 2:20 p.m. Wednesday when the Pike County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from the Monticello community from a man who said he found his missing 17-year-old son dead on the family’s property.
Sheriff Russell Thomas said the boy’s father told authorities his son had been missing since Monday, but that he had not reported it to law enforcement.
The father said he got home about 7:30 p.m. Monday and asked where the 17-year-old was, but nobody had an answer.
On Tuesday, he told them, he was called to pick up his 14-year-old son from school because the teen was upset that his older brother was missing, the sheriff said.
Once father and son returned home, they began to search the property for the 17-year-old. The father then found his dead son’s body on the back side of the family’s property and called 911.
Thomas said sheriff’s investigators learned that the 14-year-old confided in a friend at school, telling him he had killed his brother.
“He then asked his friend to help him murder the rest of the family and help him bury their bodies,’’ Thomas said.
“The friend also stated the 14-year-old had a hit list in his book bag of family members he wanted to kill, and made statements about wanting to shoot up the school,’’ the sheriff said.
A search of the book bag turned up a hit-list of family members.
Thomas said when he interviewed the 14-year-old, the teen confessed he shot his 17-year-old brother while he sat on the couch.
“He stated his brother got up and staggered out of the residence and out the back door, where he then fell at the bottom of the steps,’’ the sheriff said. “He dragged him about 60 yards to the back of the property.”
Thomas said no one else was home at the time of the killing.
No possible motive has been disclosed.
The sheriff said he has been in contact with the Pike County School System and investigators are working closely with them on the investigation.
“There have been long hours worked on this case by investigators and deputies,’’ he said.
“We are very fortunate and blessed we do not have more casualties as a result of a 14-year-old having access to a weapon.”
There was no indication charges have been filed in the case.
Thomas said the murder is the county’s second in 21 days and arrests have been made in both.
“We appreciate the employees at the Pike County Sheriff’s Office for all their hard work, long hours away from their families and willingness and commitment to keep the citizens of Pike County safe every day,’’ he said.
