In the early morning hours of Wednesday, February 22, 2023, the life of 25-year-old Shamel Roscel Hagler was tragically cut short in Dothan, Alabama. Just after midnight, at approximately 12:15 AM, the Dothan Police Department received a 911 call reporting a firearm assault in the 700 block of Monroe Street. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Hagler in the edge of a yard, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his upper torso.
Dothan Fire and Rescue personnel attempted life-saving measures, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of the Dothan man quickly transitioned into a homicide case. Investigators learned that multiple people were present at the time of the shooting and began the process of gathering information. Their efforts soon led to the identification of a suspect. The Dothan Police Department announced that they were searching for 34-year-old Justin Cordelro Britt of Dothan, who was wanted on one count of murder in connection with Hagler's death. A public appeal was made for any information regarding Britt's whereabouts.
For several months, the search for the suspect continued. Then, on Friday, June 16, 2023, Justin Cordelro Britt turned himself in to the authorities at the Dothan Police Department. He was taken into custody on the outstanding warrant for the murder of Shamel Roscel Hagler, bringing a significant development to the investigation that had begun nearly four months prior on that fateful February night.
