English charged with murder

A 23-year old Atmore man has been arrested and charged with murder for the Sept. 24 shooting death of Roderick Lynn Watkins outside a Jimbos Road residence in Atmore.

Anthony Jerome English, 1106 North Main St., was arrested Monday in Monroeville.

Escambia County District Judge Eric Coale set bond at $1 million Wednesday afternoon on the murder charge. Prior to the bond hearing, the district attorney's office filed motions that were approved by Circuit Judge Jeff White to revoke the bond English was out on at the time of the shooting.

Court records show English was out on bond on charges of robbery III and domestic violence assault III when the Sept. 24 shooting occurred. He had also failed to appear at a court hearing on Aug. 30 on those charges.

In addition to the murder charge filed by the Atmore Police Department, English was charged with bail jumping II.

Atmore police were originally dispatched to 76 Jimbos Road about 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 24 and found the body of Watkins lying next to a car in the driveway of the residence. The arrest report stated Watkins was shot with a .45-caliber weapon.

Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said officers investigating the scene found six or seven shell casings around the vehicle where Watkins' body was lying.

Witnesses told police they ran outside after hearing the gunshots and saw a male subject running from the scene.

An Alabama Department of Corrections K-9 tracking team was called to the scene but after a brief search it was determined the suspect may have left the area in a vehicle.