In a quiet home on Piney Woods Drive in Helena, Alabama, the lives of a 75-year-old U.S. Navy veteran and his daughter were brought to a violent and tragic end. Chester E. Tarwater Jr., a man who had served his country and worked for 37 years as a Motor Transportation Supervisor for U.S. Steel, was found deceased in his home on January 19, 2022, a victim of gunshot wounds.
His death was not an isolated incident; it was part of a double homicide that also claimed the life of his 40-year-old daughter, Sharon Tarwater Whited.
The grim discovery was made by a 12-year-old grandson who found his grandfather unresponsive in a hallway. After finding his grandfather, the boy located his grandmother, who suffered from dementia and was unharmed, and went to a neighbor's house to call for help. First responders arrived to the horrific scene, where they found both Chester and Sharon had sustained fatal injuries. Sharon had been shot and had also suffered multiple stab wounds. The quiet suburban street was soon swarming with law enforcement as a homicide investigation was launched into the double murder.
Suspicion quickly fell upon John Peyton Scott III, the 41-year-old boyfriend of Sharon Tarwater Whited, who also lived at the residence. In the immediate aftermath of the murders, Scott was nowhere to be found, and a manhunt was initiated. Investigators named him as a person of interest and appealed to the public for any information regarding his whereabouts. A red 2020 Ford EcoSport belonging to the victims was also reported missing. The search for Scott crossed state lines, and on January 24, 2022, he was apprehended in St. Augustine, Florida. Authorities in Florida located the stolen vehicle and, after performing a PIT maneuver, took Scott into custody without further incident.
Following his arrest, John Peyton Scott III was extradited back to Alabama to face the consequences of his alleged actions. He was subsequently charged with capital murder in connection with the deaths of both Chester Tarwater Jr. and Sharon Tarwater Whited. During a preliminary hearing, details emerged of a violent struggle at the crime scene, with evidence suggesting an attempt had been made to clean up blood. Scott was held without bail as the legal proceedings against him commenced.
