In the early morning hours of April 30, 2022, a sense of unease settled over a Decatur, Alabama neighborhood as gunfire shattered the pre-dawn quiet. Responding to a call on 6th Avenue NW, police discovered a scene that would soon unfold into a homicide investigation. On the ground was 41-year-old Charles Edward Baker Jr., a Black male, suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was rushed to Decatur Morgan Hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
The Decatur Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit immediately launched an investigation into the fatal shooting. Their efforts quickly led to the identification of a suspect. Later that same day, authorities announced they were searching for 39-year-old Cedric Maxwell Reynolds in connection with Baker's death. A warrant for murder was issued for his arrest.
The manhunt for Reynolds was brief. He was located and taken into custody without incident on the same day as the shooting. Following his arrest, Cedric Maxwell Reynolds was transported to the Morgan County Jail, where he was booked on the charge of murder. He was initially held without bond as the community grappled with the violent loss of Charles Edward Baker Jr. The case is expected to proceed through the Morgan County judicial system.
