In the late summer of 2016, the quiet of Roanoke, Alabama, was broken by the discovery of a beloved community member's death. David Heard, a 49-year-old Black man, was found deceased in his home on September 5, 2016, having suffered from multiple gunshot wounds. The tragic event unfolded at his residence located in the 33000 block of U.S. Highway 431 in the Five Points area. The Chambers County Sheriff's Office was led to the scene after receiving a request for a welfare check.
The investigation into Heard's death quickly progressed, pointing to a planned robbery that turned fatal. Less than ten days after the discovery of Heard's body, authorities made their first arrest. On September 14, 2016, Cordamione Decornez Cameron, a 22-year-old from LaGrange, Georgia, was taken into custody at his home. He faced serious charges, including capital murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree burglary. Investigators believe he was one of two individuals who carried out the fatal robbery.
Further investigation implicated three other individuals in the crime. On October 21, 2016, a series of arrests were made, bringing more suspects into custody. Tre'Shaniq Burley, 22, also from LaGrange, was charged with the same offenses as Cameron: capital murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree burglary. Investigators allege that Burley was the second person who went to Heard's residence with Cameron on the night of the murder.
Two others were arrested for their alleged roles in the conspiracy. Cortney Simms, 26, of Roanoke, Alabama, and Ashley Spidell Murphy, 24, of Wedowee, Alabama, were both charged with murder and first-degree conspiracy to commit robbery. The evidence gathered by law enforcement, which included witness statements and phone records, suggested that all four individuals had conspired to rob David Heard.
