Jay Allen Danford, a 46-year-old male, was found deceased on Friday, August 26, 2016, in the Lake Harding community of Valley, Alabama. A fun-loving person who was always laughing, he was known for his willingness to help anyone in need. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed fishing, cooking, and spending time on his boat. He was a devoted father to his two children.
On the afternoon of his death, the Lee County Sheriff's Office received a call about a possible shooting.
Danford was discovered in a bedroom at his residence with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was subsequently taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for a postmortem examination.
Later that evening, Valley police officers responded to a vehicle wreck and found a 30-year-old man with Danford's vehicle. A handgun was recovered from the vehicle. The man, identified as Chadd Van Blaircom of Valley, was taken to East Alabama Medical Center for injuries he sustained in the crash.
Following an investigation, Chadd Van Blaircom was arrested and charged with one count of murder in connection with Jay Allen Danford's death. He was also charged with first-degree theft of property. Blaircom was subsequently booked into the Lee County Jail and held without bond.
