On the evening of New Year's Day, January 1, 2026, the life of 29-year-old Jarryl Slaughter of Wadley, Alabama, was tragically cut short. Slaughter, a Black male, was found in a parking lot on Parkway Court in Alexander City with a single gunshot wound. First responders were dispatched to the scene at approximately 7:40 p.m., and Slaughter was quickly transported to Russell Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased.
The investigation into Slaughter's death led to the arrests of
two individuals. On Monday, January 5, 2026, authorities took 19-year-old Marcus Harden of Eclectic into custody and charged him with murder. Another suspect, Roderick Hicks Jr., was also arrested on the same day, facing a charge of Hindering Prosecution in the first degree in connection to the case.
Jarryl Slaughter was a father to a daughter and twin sons. His family, including his parents, brothers, and sisters, were left to mourn his sudden and violent death. Funeral services were held for him on January 14, 2026, at the Christian Memorial Church in Roanoke, Alabama, followed by his burial at Burkes Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Wedowee. The legal proceedings against Marcus Harden and Roderick Hicks Jr. are set to determine the events that led to the untimely death of Jarryl Slaughter.
