On the evening of January 20, 2022, a burst of gunfire shattered the routine atmosphere of a Walmart parking lot in Wetumpka, Alabama, leaving a community in shock and a family mourning the loss of 42-year-old Centell Andre Winston. A male resident of Tallassee, Winston was discovered inside his vehicle, having succumbed to what would later be confirmed as gunshot wounds.
The incident, which occurred at approximately 10:44 p.m., marked the first homicide in the city of Wetumpka in several years.
Responding to reports of shots fired, Wetumpka Police Department officers arrived at the scene on U.S. Highway 231 to find the tragic outcome of the violent encounter. Investigators immediately began to piece together the events of that night, suggesting early on that the shooting was not a random act of violence and that Winston and his assailant likely knew each other. Authorities reviewed surveillance footage from the parking lot and issued a BOLO for two vehicles that were seen leaving the area, though their direct involvement was initially unclear.
The investigation into Winston's death progressed over the following weeks, leading to a significant breakthrough. On February 25, 2022, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Taskforce apprehended 24-year-old Calvin J. Wells of Montgomery in connection with the murder. Wells was subsequently charged with murder and domestic violence and was booked into the Elmore County Jail with a bond set at $1.5 million. While court documents began to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting, the authorities did not immediately release further details to the public.
