Click here for updates on this story
BALDWIN CO., AL (WALA) — Baldwin County authorities have charged a Pensacola man with capital murder in the Elberta double homicide case. Antwon Smith was arrested Saturday, October 10, 2020 in Mobile after leading Mobile Police on a chase in one of the victims’ stolen car.
The Baldwin County Major Crimes Unit (MCU) held a press conference Tuesday with new details, saying the victims knew their alleged killer and what they believe led to the murders. And, the most unlikely of leads in this case…a dog that put authorities on Smith’s tail.
Investigators said it looks like Antwon Smith shot Ryan Frazier and Joshua Carroll during a drug deal. Investigators said the victims had spent time throughout the southeast, including Pensacola doing cable line work and they’d met Antwon Smith during that time. Investigators said they’d just gotten back to Pensacola from a job in Louisiana to ride out Hurricane Delta when they contacted Smith.
MCU Commander, Lt. Andre Reid of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office said Smith shot the Seattle men in their vehicle at or near the location they were found. A newspaper delivery person found their bodies on County Road 95 Friday morning.
Reid said Smith then drove around, finally ending up in Mobile where he was apprehended on Saturday. Investigators said it was because of one of the victim’s pet dog who was found guarding its owner’s body that they were able to bring the case to a close so quickly.
“One of our victims had a dog with them and that dog had some identifying information that led us to the previous owner of the dog, an area where the dog was from and we matched that up with a partial name and slowly started to identify one of the victims,” Reid explained.
Once investigators were able to get an ID, the other pieces of the puzzle, like what they were doing in the area and what vehicle they should be looking for started falling into place. Antwon Smith is still in the Mobile County Jail while Baldwin County authorities here work on taking custody.
Smith faces five charges in Mobile. Police say he was found in possession of marijuana, heroin, a handgun police believe to be the murder weapon and a wallet belonging to Ryan Frazier.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
Regulators authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI lawyer was sentenced to probation for altering an email that the Justice Department relied on during its surveillance of an aide to President Donald Trump during the Russia investigation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lashed out Friday at rival Republicans who tried to repeal his statewide mask mandate, saying killing the order would be a ridiculous move comparable to abolishing speed limits.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As some conservatives in South Carolina celebrated getting a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state past a legislative barrier and likely becoming law, they said they are not finished trying to end all abortions.
A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe.