On the night of June 16, 2023, in the Johnsonville community near Evergreen, Alabama, 31-year-old Jatonio Williams, a Black/African American male, was killed in a violent encounter. The Conecuh County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call around 11:28 p.m. reporting a shooting on Boone Court. Upon their arrival, deputies found Williams deceased from gunshot wounds.
Tragically, Williams was not the only victim of this brutal act.
A 10-year-old boy, Joseph 'JoeJoe' Rankin, was also discovered at the scene with critical injuries. He was rushed to Evergreen Medical Center but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Investigators believe the incident may have been a home invasion that turned deadly when the victims arrived home, interrupting the intrusion. The community and local officials, including Evergreen's mayor, expressed their profound sorrow and concern over the violence that claimed two lives.
In the course of their investigation, law enforcement identified a white 2009 GMC Yukon believed to be connected to the individuals responsible for the double homicide. While the vehicle was later recovered, the primary suspects in the murders have not yet been apprehended and remain at large. The investigation into the deaths of Jatonio Williams and Joe Rankin is ongoing, with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, actively involved.
Although the murder suspects are still being sought, an arrest has been made in connection with the events of that night. Vera Moorer, 27, was taken into custody and charged with second-degree kidnapping. Moorer is accused of taking an 8-year-old child from the scene of the homicides and leaving the child at a gas station. She was being held in the Conecuh County Jail on a $1 million bond.
