In the spring of 2017, a burst of gunfire shattered the evening quiet in Opelika, Alabama, leaving two men dead and a community searching for answers. On the night of March 25th, authorities responded to reports of shots fired in the 400 block of Toomer Court. Upon their arrival, they discovered a grim scene. Two men, 27-year-old Sedric Darrell Lewis and 31-year-old Derris Terrel Harris, were found with gunshot wounds.
Emergency responders rushed Lewis, an Opelika resident, to East
Alabama Medical Center, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he died shortly after his arrival at the hospital. Harris, who was from Lafayette, was pronounced dead at the scene. The violent deaths of the two young men prompted an immediate investigation by the Opelika Police Department.
Less than a month after the fatal shooting, an arrest was made in connection with the double homicide. On April 21, 2017, police took 26-year-old John W. Maddox Jr. into custody. He was subsequently charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of Sedric Darrell Lewis and Derris Terrel Harris. Following his arrest, Maddox was booked into the Lee County Jail. At the time of Maddox's apprehension, law enforcement officials indicated that they were actively searching for a second suspect who they believed was also involved in the shootings. The motive for the incident was not immediately released by the authorities.
