In the quiet, rural community of Luverne, Alabama, a horrific crime unfolded on August 26, 2002, forever shattering the peace of the Ball family. John Lewis Ball, a 14-year-old boy, was tragically killed alongside five members of his family in a brutal massacre at their home. The other victims were his grandmother, Mila Ruth Ball, 65; his mother, JoAnn Ball, 35; his father, Willie Edward Haslip, 40; and his two older brothers, Jerry C. Ball, 19, and Tony Lamar Ball, 17.
The family was gunned down in various locations around their property, including inside their farmhouse, a nearby mobile home, a hog pen, and in a car trunk.
The sole survivor of the devastating attack was 16-year-old Janice Ball, John's sister. The investigation quickly focused on her 22-year-old boyfriend, Westley Devone Harris. Authorities alleged that Harris was angry with the family for trying to end his relationship with Janice. Three days after the murders, Harris and Janice Ball, along with their young daughter, were located. Harris was taken into custody, while Janice was considered a witness in the case.
Westley Devone Harris was subsequently charged with six counts of capital murder. The case against him proceeded to trial, which ended in a mistrial in 2004. A second trial in 2005 resulted in his conviction on all counts. The jury recommended a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole by a vote of 7 to 5. However, in a move permissible under Alabama law at the time, the trial judge overrode the jury's recommendation and sentenced Harris to death for the six murders. Harris was sent to death row at Holman Correctional Facility to await his execution. The community of Luverne was left to mourn the immense loss of three generations of a single family, a tragedy that began with a domestic dispute and ended in a senseless act of violence.
