On a cold January evening in Anniston, Alabama, the life of 43-year-old Carlos Miller, a Black male known affectionately as 'Peedie,' was tragically cut short. On January 16, 2023, at approximately 9:45 p.m., the sound of gunfire echoed in the 5100 block of McClellan Boulevard, prompting a response from the Anniston Police Department. Arriving at the scene, officers discovered Miller suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was quickly transported to the Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries.
Simultaneously, another man, 21-year-old Charrell Brown, was taken by a private vehicle to Stringfellow Memorial Hospital, also with fatal gunshot wounds. Investigators soon determined that both Miller and Brown were involved in the same violent exchange of gunfire. The incident sent ripples of concern about gun violence through the community.
In the days that followed, the investigation into the double homicide led to a significant development. On January 17, 2023, Anniston Police Department Investigators arrested 18-year-old Makotrick L. Ball in connection with the deaths of both Carlos Miller and Charrell Brown. Ball was subsequently charged with murder, with authorities indicating his involvement in the fatal confrontation. He was booked into the Calhoun County Jail and, under the state's Aniah's Law, was held without bond.
Those who knew Carlos 'Peedie' Miller remembered him as a man with a vibrant personality who loved to dance and was a mentor to many young men in his community. He was described as having a contagious smile and a generous spirit. A celebration of his life was held on January 28, 2023, at The Life City in Anniston, followed by his interment at Eden Hills Cemetery, as friends and family gathered to mourn the loss of a man who had touched many lives.
