On the evening of April 15, 1994, a tragic event unfolded in Gadsden, Alabama, forever altering the lives of several families and shocking the local community. Darrell K Collier, a 23-year-old male, was working as the manager of a Popeyes restaurant. That night, after the establishment had closed for business, Collier and three of his teenage employees, Nathaniel Baker, 17, Tamika Collins, 18, and Bryant Archer, 17, were still inside.
Two armed men, Robert Melson and Cuhuatemoc 'Tempo'
Peraita, gained entry to the restaurant through a back door that had been left unlocked for employees to take out the trash. Once inside, the assailants rounded up Collier and the three other employees, forcing them into the restaurant's office. There, they demanded the contents of the safe, making off with over $2,100.
Following the robbery, the four employees were herded into a walk-in freezer. In a brutal turn of events, Melson opened fire on the defenseless group. Darrell K Collier, Nathaniel Baker, and Tamika Collins were all fatally shot. Bryant Archer was shot four times but miraculously survived and was able to call 911 for help. His ability to identify one of the robbers as a former employee of the restaurant quickly led law enforcement to Melson and Peraita.
Both Robert Melson and Cuhuatemoc Peraita were apprehended shortly after the murders. Melson was ultimately convicted for his role in the killings and sentenced to death. He was executed by lethal injection in 2017. Peraita initially received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, his violent streak continued, and he was later sentenced to death for the murder of a fellow inmate in 1999.
