McCaster pleads guilty, gets life

A Castleberry man charged with capital murder for the June 6, 2013 death of a 60-year old Atmore woman pleaded guilty last week to murder and was sentenced to life in prison.

Collis McCaster, 46, 99 West Railroad St., Castleberry, was facing a possible death sentence or life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of capital murder.

He was charged with killing Mildred Jackson Morris at her 222 Adams St., home in Atmore. He was originally charged with capital murder, sexual abuse I and arson I in Morris' death.

According to reports at the time, McCaster had been renting a room from Morris but had been evicted about a week before the murder for failing to pay rent.

He is accused of killing Morris and then setting her house on fire. District Attorney Steve Billy said the cause of death was strangulation.

The Atmore Fire Department, Poarch Fire Department, Atmore Police Department and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office responded to the 5:20 a.m. fire call Saturday, June 6, 2013.

The flames were quickly extinguished and firemen found Morris' body lying on the couch in the living room, where family members told police she normally slept. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Morris' body was transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Reports from the Atmore Police Department state that once Morris' body was moved it was evident they were working a crime scene and a homicide investigation began.

Due to the death, the State Fire Marshal's office was called to investigate the fire.

Fire Marshal Mike Tally determined the fire was the result of arson.

About 11 a.m. on the day of the fire "a person of interest" in the homicide, later identified as McCaster, was arrested on an outstanding warrant from Conecuh County and was out on bond on a robbery III charge at the time he was arrested in Atmore that Saturday.

On May 10, McCaster was transported to the Foley Police Department, where he volunteered to take a polygraph test and answer questions about the fire and death of Morris.

After completing the polygraph test, McCaster met with Atmore police in a separate interview.

According to information released by the Atmore Police Department, McCaster confessed to committing the crimes that led to Morris' death.

He was then charged with capital murder, arson and sexual abuse and transported to the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton, where he was held without bond.

Last week Circuit Judge Dave Jordan sentenced McCaster to life in prison.