Mobile County, Alabama Massacre Update: Derrick Dearman Charged With 6 Counts Of Capital Murder

A man is facing six counts of capital murder after he allegedly killed several people early Saturday morning in Mobile County, Alabama. Derrick Dearman was arrested and charged with murdering five people in a southern Alabama home that also included a woman who was five months pregnant, the Associated Press reported.

Twenty-seven-year-old Dearman of Leakesville, Mississippi, broke into a home where his “estranged” girlfriend, Laneta Lester, 24, was staying and allegedly killed Shannon Melissa Randall, 35, Chelsea Marie Reed, 22 — who was five months pregnant — Robert Lee Brown, 26, Joseph Adam Turner, 26 and Justin Kaleb Reed, 23.

Lester had fled Friday to the home to escape Dearman, who had reportedly been abusive. The AP reported that Lester was staying at the home with a relative.

A call was placed to the police from the home at 1 a.m. Saturday where officials were told that Dearman was on the property. Police were dispatched but Dearman was said to have fled the property prior to police’s arrival.

Around 1:15 a.m., Dearman returned to the property and attacked the victims while they were asleep.

Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich told reporters that “…there were five people who were brutally and viciously murdered,” and that “multiple weapons” were used in the killings.

Police told NBC News that weapons include a firearm and allegedly an ax.

After the slayings, Dearman forced Lester and an infant of one of the slain victims into a car where the three went to Dearman’s father’s home in nearby Greene County, Mississippi.

Lester and the infant were released and Lester went to the police; Dearman turned himself in to the sheriff’s office in Greene County, Mississippi.

The bodies were found in the home by officials on Saturday afternoon.

Aside from the connection through Lester, Dearman’s connection to the victims has not been confirmed.

The crime was deemed unusual for the rural community and Mobile County sheriff’s Capt. Paul Burch told the AP that “It’s unprecedented here.”

Burch relayed that Dearman has “been cooperative” since his arrest.

Dearman does have a criminal history, “including an active warrant for a burglary charge,” reported Fox News.