A woman has been denied bond under Aniah’s law after allegedly killing her father and shooting her mother, her ex-boyfriend and shooting at her brother in Mobile.
On Wednesday, Judge George Zhogby ruled in favor of the state’s motion to deny bond to Charity Matthews, who is accused of going on a fatal shooting spree over the course of two days.
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Aniah’s law, passed in 2022, added to a list of serious crimes for which a defendant can be held without bail before trial.
According to testimony at the hearing, on Oct. 19 Charity initially shot at her brother, Michael Matthews, while he was in his car and later that day shot her ex-boyfriend, Samson Moore. He survived his injuries.
The next day, Charity then shot her parents, Twinetta and Robert Matthews, resulting in Robert’s death and her mother being critically injured. Robert Matthews was reportedly the pastor of Joy Tabernacle Full Gospel Church.
After allegedly shooting her parents, Charity fled to a local hotel with her two children where she was arrested early in the morning on Oct. 21.
According to testimony from two law enforcement officials at the hearing, Charity believed “demons” were possessing her mother and ex-boyfriend and repeatedly referenced “Yahweh.”
Defense attorney Tom Walsh asked Detective Rory Graves about his interview with Charity after her arrest.
Graves testified that Charity told him there was an “order from the Gods” and Moore was a “big demon.”
According to Graves’ testimony, Charity also said she thought Moore, who is the father of her two children, was sexually abusing the children.
Graves said Charity told him something similar about demons being around Twinetta and there was “demon black magic” in her parent’s house trying to smother her daughter.
“She mentioned something to the effect of basically her mother or she believed there were demons,” Graves said. “And she referenced demon black magic that would have potentially moved her daughter underneath the pillow.”
Charity allegedly confronted Twinetta with a gun and Robert intervened.
A struggle resulted in Charity shooting Robert before shooting Twinetta.
Corporal Phillip Morris also testified that after officers arrived at the hotel to arrest Charity she allegedly locked herself in the room with her children for over three hours.
During this time, Morris said officers heard her screaming Yahweh continuously during the standoff and even after she was placed in handcuffs.
Morris testified that the children were unharmed.
Prosecution argued that Charity showed signs of mental instability, was a danger to the community and constituted a flight risk.
They said she could receive mental health resources at Mobile County Metro Jail.
The defense argued that the jail did not have the proper resources to administer help with potential mental problem.
A preliminary hearing in the case is set for November.
