On a tragic day in August 2016, Robert Lee Brown, a 26-year-old male, lost his life in a brutal mass murder in Citronelle, Alabama. The horrific event unfolded in the early morning hours of August 20th at a residence where several people were staying. Brown was one of five individuals who were viciously attacked and killed while they were sleeping.
The perpetrator of this heinous crime was identified as Derrick Ryan Dearman.
His motive was reportedly fueled by a methamphetamine-induced rage after his estranged girlfriend, Laneta Lester, had sought refuge at the home to escape their abusive relationship. Earlier in the night, a 911 call was made from the residence to report Dearman trespassing on the property. Although police responded, they were unable to locate him. He later returned, broke into the home, and carried out the attacks using an axe and a firearm. The other victims of the massacre were Chelsea Marie Reed, who was pregnant at the time, Justin Kaleb Reed, Joseph Adam Turner, and Shannon Melissa Randall.
Following the murders, Dearman kidnapped Lester and a three-month-old infant from the home and fled to Mississippi. He later released them and, persuaded by his father, turned himself in to the authorities in Greene County, Mississippi. Upon his arrest, Dearman confessed to the killings, initially attributing his actions to being under the influence of drugs.
Dearman was extradited to Alabama and faced multiple charges, including six counts of capital murder, one for each victim and one for the unborn child. Despite an initial plea of not guilty, he later changed his plea to guilty. A jury convicted him on all counts and recommended the death penalty. In October 2018, the court formally sentenced him to death. After waiving his appeals, Derrick Ryan Dearman was executed by lethal injection on October 17, 2024.
