On a grim Saturday, March 25, 2023, the life of 27-year-old Richard Austin Ward Jr. was cut short in Anniston, Alabama. A passerby made the harrowing discovery of his body in a creek off the 3200 block of Alexandria Road, a sight made all the more stark by the water running red. Ward had sustained a fatal gunshot wound. A neighbor later recounted hearing someone begging for their life followed by two 'pops,' sounds that tragically signaled the end of Ward's life.
The investigation into
the death of the young man, a graduate of Wellborn High School, quickly revealed that he was not the sole victim of the day's violence. Within two blocks of where Ward's body was found, at the intersection of 33rd Street and Stevens Street, authorities located a second victim. Laura Jean Thornton, 55, was found still breathing and was immediately transported to UAB Hospital in critical condition. The Anniston Police Department swiftly connected the two incidents, believing them to be related.
The pursuit of justice for Richard Austin Ward Jr. and Laura Thornton led to a breakthrough just two days later. On March 27, 2023, the Anniston Police Department, in collaboration with the Calhoun County Major Crimes Unit, announced the arrests of two individuals. Randy Wayne King, 42, was taken into custody and initially charged with one count of murder. His father, 67-year-old Ronnie Lee King, was also arrested and charged with hindering prosecution in connection with the case.
As the investigation continued to unfold, the charges against Randy Wayne King were updated. After further work by the investigative division, a second warrant for murder was issued for him. He now faces two counts of murder for the deaths of both Richard Austin Ward Jr. and Laura Thornton, who succumbed to her injuries. The investigation remains ongoing, with the possibility of additional charges being filed as authorities continue to piece together the events that led to the tragic deaths.
