In the spring of 2024, a life was abruptly cut short in Huntsville, Alabama. Joseph Collins, an 18-year-old male, was discovered with fatal gunshot wounds on Lakewood Drive on the morning of March 23, 2024. When police responded to the scene at approximately 10:45 a.m., they found the young man from Madison, Alabama, had already succumbed to his injuries. The motive behind the shooting has not been made public by authorities.
The investigation into the death of Joseph Collins led authorities to a suspect, 19-year-old Malcolm Jacob Derr, who also resided in Madison. The pursuit of Derr extended beyond state lines, culminating in his arrest in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Police, apprehended him. Following his capture, Derr was held at the Monroe County Correctional Facility as he awaited extradition back to Alabama to face legal proceedings.
Upon his return to Alabama, Malcolm Jacob Derr was charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting death of Joseph Collins. The case has since progressed through the legal system, with a Madison County grand jury handing down an indictment against Derr for the serious charge. The Huntsville Police Department's Major Crimes Unit has continued to investigate the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting as the case moves toward trial.
