Shari Ann Yates, a 59-year-old Caucasian woman, was found dead on December 19, 2019, in her home in Bethalto, Illinois. Shari, born on May 8, 1960, in Alton, Illinois, was known for her compassionate nature and her work as a nurse's aide and Life Skills Instructor. Her death was part of a tragic event that also claimed the lives of her son, Andrew "AJ" Brooks, 32, and John Edward McMillan Jr., 30. The Bethalto Police Department was contacted by the Hazelwood Police Department to conduct a welfare check at Shari's residence, where the bodies were discovered.
The investigation revealed that Shari Ann Yates, her son Andrew Brooks, and John McMillan were each murdered with three gunshot wounds to their heads. The suspects, Brady Witcher, 41, and Brittany McMillan, 28, were arrested in Hazelwood, Missouri. Both suspects were involved in a week-long crime spree across multiple states, including Tennessee and Alabama, before arriving in Bethalto. Witcher and McMillan were charged with nine counts of first-degree murder, armed robbery, aggravated vehicular hijacking, and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.
The crime spree began in Tennessee, where Witcher and McMillan were wanted for shoplifting, aggravated kidnapping, and theft of a motor vehicle. They invaded a home, tied up a young couple, and stole their truck. The spree continued in Alabama, where they were accused of kidnapping and killing Kellie Ann Hughes, 31. The couple was eventually tracked down and arrested at a motel in Hazelwood, Missouri, leading to the welfare check that uncovered the murders in Bethalto.
The case against Witcher and McMillan proceeded with multiple charges, including first-degree murder for the deaths of Shari Ann Yates, Andrew Brooks, and John McMillan. The investigation highlighted the brutal nature of the crimes and the extensive criminal activities of the suspects across several states. The tragic loss of Shari Ann Yates and the others left a profound impact on the Bethalto community, which remembered them as loving and compassionate individuals.
