Less than two weeks apart, investigations continue in murders that have left four dead; shots fired again
Conecuh County was sent reeling when a second double homicide occurred less than two weeks from another double homicide. This time a 10-year-old child was killed in the shooting, along with a 31-year-old male.
Conecuh County E-911 received a call of a shooting on Boone Court in the Johnsonville community at 11:28 on Friday night, June 16. When officers arrived on scene, they found Jatonio Williams, 31, dead of gunshot wounds. Joe ‘Joe Joe’ Rankins Jr., 10, was also found shot at the scene and transported to Evergreen Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
A ‘BOLO’ was issued for a missing white Yukon and a second small child. The child was located later at a service station at the I-65 mile marker 77 Exit and returned to family members. The Yukon was later found on the Benefield Road a short distance from the site of the shooting. The vehicle was taken by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation to be processed for evidence.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigations took over the investigation from the Conecuh County Sheriff’s Department when they arrived on scene and are being assisted by the sheriff's department as the investigation continues.
Officials said the victims had pulled up to their home on Boone Court, where the power had been off for some time, and were ambushed by the shooter or shooters. An adult female at the scene was not injured during the shooting.
The SBI has not released any further information on the murders, but rumors have flooded the community as family members want answers and justice for this senseless killing of a child.
Anyone with information on these murders are asked to contact the State Bureau of Investigations or the Conecuh County Sheriff’s Department at 251-578-1260.
June 6 murders
Two people were killed outside Building C at Highland Green Apartments in Evergreen on June 6.
According to reports, a white sedan pulled up at the building and an individual exited the vehicle with a shotgun about 8 p.m.
A female was shot and a male located in the breezeway of the building fled the scene.
Raenajai Lanea Smith, 23, was pronounced dead at the scene. James Matthews, Jr., 22, was transported by Conecuh Emergency Medical Services to Evergreen Medical Center where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
A short while later, a shots fired call was issued in the Brantley Switch community, where shots were fired into a house and several vehicles. Nobody was injured in that incident.
