On a tragic day in Garland, Alabama, the life of 29-year-old Lu Williams, a Black / African American male, was violently cut short. On June 2, 2018, he and his friend, 28-year-old Cortez Antonio "Tony" Dees, were discovered deceased in a wooded area off a rural road, both victims of a double homicide.
The events that led to their deaths began to unfold when four individuals from Birmingham set in motion a plan to rob them.
Courtney Andrews, then 31, Nathaniel Anthony Fortune, 29, his sister Kaia Fortune, 18, and Johnathan Leonard Willis, 35, targeted Williams and Dees, leading to a fatal confrontation. The victims were first robbed of their property before being forced into a vehicle.
The assailants then kidnapped Dees and Williams, taking them to Dees's home where they stole a significant amount of cash and drugs. Following the robbery, Williams and Dees were driven to a secluded dirt road in the Garland community of Butler County. It was there, in that remote location, that their lives were ended by multiple gunshots. In an attempt to destroy evidence, a car belonging to one of the victims was later found engulfed in flames.
In the months that followed, a thorough investigation by law enforcement led to the identification and apprehension of the four suspects. Between September and October of 2018, Courtney Andrews, Nathaniel Anthony Fortune, Kaia Fortune, and Johnathan Leonard Willis were all arrested. Each faced serious charges, including multiple counts of capital murder in connection with the deaths of Lu Williams and Cortez Dees, as well as charges of tampering with physical evidence. The group was also charged with offenses related to the preceding burglary, robbery, and kidnapping. Courtney Andrews faced an additional charge for making a false statement to investigators.
