A domestic dispute in Mobile, Alabama, on June 29, 2021, ended in the shooting death of 48-year-old James Walters and led to a tragic chain of events that resulted in the death of a second, uninvolved individual. The initial altercation began between Walters' twin daughters, reportedly over a financial disagreement. When Walters, a male, arrived at the scene, the situation escalated. He became involved in a confrontation with the boyfriend of one of his daughters, and both men were armed.
During the exchange, Walters was shot. He attempted to flee but collapsed from his injuries and died.
The man who shot Walters was not immediately arrested, with police indicating that the shooting appeared to be a case of self-defense and that the matter would be presented to a grand jury for review. In the immediate aftermath, a 23-year-old woman who was present was also struck by a bullet and was listed in critical condition.
The violence did not end there. Less than an hour after Walters' death, a retaliatory shooting occurred. D'Angelo Merrill, the 28-year-old boyfriend of Walters' other daughter, went to the Pathway Apartments on Florida Street seeking revenge for Walters' death. In a case of mistaken identity, Merrill forced his way into the wrong apartment and fatally shot 74-year-old James Jones, a man with no connection to the initial dispute.
Following an investigation, D'Angelo Merrill was arrested in November 2021 and charged with the murder of James Jones and burglary. As of late 2025, Merrill was being held without bond as his case was still pending in the court system. There have been no public updates regarding the grand jury's decision concerning the man who shot James Walters.
