In the quiet town of Jasper, Alabama, a tragic event unfolded on the morning of November 28, 2015, forever altering the lives of one family. Anthony Scott Downs, a 45-year-old male, was found deceased inside a mobile home on Tate Road. His life had been cut short by a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. The scene that greeted Walker County Sheriff's deputies and Jasper police officers was one of violence and sorrow.
Alongside Downs' body, authorities discovered a 35-year-old woman, Amy
Tidwell, who had sustained a gunshot wound to her neck. Despite her serious injury, she was conscious and able to provide crucial information to the investigators, identifying the person responsible for the shooting before she was transported to UAB Hospital in Birmingham for treatment. Her testimony would prove vital in the swift apprehension of a suspect.
The man identified as the shooter was Ronald David Kell, who was not only the same age as his victim but also his cousin. The motive for this tragic act of violence was believed to be a dispute related to drugs. Kell was located and taken into custody approximately an hour after the shooting at a residence on Jones Dairy Road in Jasper.
Initially, Kell was held on outstanding drug charges with a $20,000 cash bond. However, law enforcement officials indicated that more severe charges, including murder, were forthcoming in connection with the death of his cousin, Anthony Scott Downs. The incident left the community to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of a resident and the deeply personal nature of the alleged crime.
