Five defendants indicted on total 145 felony counts in Dadeville shooting case
May 24, 2023
A Tallapoosa County Grand Jury has handed down indictments against five defendants in the Dadeville mass shooting on charges of reckless murder as well as new assault charges related to the 25 shooting victims who survived, law enforcement said.
The 145-count indictment includes 20 counts of reckless murder — four for each of the five defendants — 120 counts of first-degree assault of 24 people who suffered penetrating gunshot wounds, and five counts of third-degree assault of a person who suffered a superficial gunshot wound.
“If found guilty, the individuals charged face a possible sentence of 20 years to life in prison for each of the four fatalities and a minimum of 10 years with a maximum 20-year sentence on all 24 counts of first-degree assault,” according to a news release from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
The defendants are Willie Brown, 20, Johnny Brown, 19, Wilson Hill, 19, and two juvenile defendants, Tyreese “Ty Reik” McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16.
The Advertiser is naming the two juvenile defendants because of the seriousness of the charges. A sixth person arrested in connection to the shootings was 15 at the time of his arrest; his case is being handled in youth courts, and the status of that case is unknown.
Among the 25 victims who were shot and survived is 37-year-old Latonya Allen, whose son, Philstavious Dowdell, 18, was killed in the shooting. Allen was throwing a Sweet 16 birthday party for her daughter, AlexisDowdell, when gunfire began at a downtown Dadeville dance studio the night of April 15.
The other 24 shooting victims were between 14 and 19 years in age.
“In the state of Alabama, individuals charged with a felony must first have the charge presented to a grandjury to determine whether there is probable cause to precede to trial,” according to the news release. “It is not a final determination of innocence or guilt, and all individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”
Circuit Judge Isaac Whorton reconvened the Tallapoosa County Grand Jury. The panel found Monday that there was probable cause to continue with the 145 felony counts, according to the news release.