Probable cause found for murder suspect

An Enterprise man has been bound over to a grand jury by District Judge Chris Kaminski after a two-hour preliminary hearing on Monday, Feb. 22.

Joshua Mark Richard, 33, has been in the Coffee County Jail since he was arrested and charged with homicide on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015. He was arrested as a suspect after Joey Chandler, 26, was found deceased in a car at the Coffee County Stockyard in New Brockton.

At the time of the arrest, Coffee County Chief Deputy Ronnie Whitworth said Chandler had died "execution style from a single gunshot wound to the head" by what was believed to have been a small-caliber weapon.

The shooting occurred at the stockyard in the front parking lot approximately 15-20 feet from the roadway, according to Kenny Davis, an investigator with the Coffee County Sheriff's Office.

During Monday's hearing, New Brockton Police Chief Brian Lusher described the wound as a gunshot that entered the victim from the right cheek, traveled through the neck and severed the spinal column. The weapon, said to be a 9 mm gun, has not been recovered.

The vehicle the victim was found in was described as a burgundy Ford car. Lusher said the vehicle had Mississippi car tags and was not registered to the victim.

According to Lusher, the Dothan Police Department’s Forensic Team recovered more cartridges from the vehicle about one week later.

A search of the vehicle found methamphetamine, marijuana and a pipe in the console. There was also $14 found in the victim's hands, according to Lusher.

Davis said a set of scales was also found under Chandler's right arm. He said the scene had the appearance of a drug deal.

Five witnesses were questioned in regards to the case, including two witnesses that were with Richard throughout the day of the shooting, according to Davis.

Davis said during the hearing that both Ashley Scearce and Tommy Tyree, called Richard's "drug buddies" by Enterprise Attorney Laura Wyrosdick, provided Richard transportation the day of the shooting.

According to Davis, Scearce said in an interview that Tyree brought Richard to his residence and asked him to drive him to meet or visit someone. Richard threw a gun, its magazine and bullets out of Scearce's vehicle at different times while he and Scearce drove back to Enterprise.

Davis said Tyree made similar statements during his interview.

According to Davis, Tyree met with Richard earlier on Dec. 22, drove him to Scearce's residence, then traveled to different places in Enterprise before stopping at Medical Center Enterprise and waiting in the parking lot. Scearce drove Richard back to the hospital to meet with Tyree.

Davis said Richard's statement matched those of Scearce and Tyree, except for the information about the shooter and the location that the gun was thrown from Scearce's vehicle.

Richard did not admit to pulling the trigger, according to Davis, but did not name another shooter. He did admit the gun was his, and he brought it in a duffel bag.

Investigators also interviewed a witness that drove by the vehicle and a friend of the victim.

Scearce's Ford SUV and Tyree's Ford F-150 were both searched for evidence, according to Davis, though their clothing was not taken for testing.

Richard and Scearce were also not tested for gun residue or blood, Davis said. Richard was not tested because was arrested 24 hours after the shooting took place and had "ran through the woods" for a number of hours soaking wet.