On a spring afternoon in Pisgah, Alabama, a tragic event shattered the quiet of a residence on County Road 354. On Saturday, April 30, 2022, deputies from both the Jackson and DeKalb County Sheriff's Offices responded to a report of a shooting. Initially, the location of the incident was thought to be in DeKalb County, but it was soon determined to have occurred within Jackson County's jurisdiction.
Upon their arrival, law enforcement discovered the bodies of two men in the backyard of the home, both victims of apparent gunshot wounds. The deceased were identified as 44-year-old Christopher Horace Garren, a male, and his 68-year-old father, Horace 'Bimbo' Garren, both of Pisgah.
The suspect in the double homicide, Matthew Edward Garren, who was the 33-year-old son of Horace and the brother of Christopher, had fled the scene. A search was initiated, and with the assistance of the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office helicopter, Matthew Garren was located in a wooded area not far from the residence. He was taken into custody by DeKalb County deputies and returned to the scene of the crime. Following an initial investigation into the deaths of his brother and father, Matthew Edward Garren was arrested.
Initially, Matthew Garren was charged with one count of murder in connection with the death of his brother, Christopher Garren. He was also charged with two outstanding misdemeanor traffic offenses. Following an autopsy conducted by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, the charges against him were updated. Based on the autopsy results, which confirmed he had also shot and killed his father, a second count of murder was added. Matthew Garren was subsequently booked into the Jackson County Jail to await further legal proceedings for the deaths of his father and brother.
