Perdido shooting death believed to be result of dispute over money

By John Underwood / john@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 8/23/17

PERDIDO, Alabama — The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting death of a Perdido man Tuesday morning in an apparent dispute over money.

Capt. Steve Arthur, BCSO chief …

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Perdido shooting death believed to be result of dispute over money

Posted

PERDIDO, Alabama — The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting death of a Perdido man Tuesday morning in an apparent dispute over money.

Capt. Steve Arthur, BCSO chief investigator, said deputies found Perdido resident Christopher Allen at around 7:45 a.m. Tuesday in an open field near Hoyle Bryars Road and Dallas Hadley Lane in Perdido after neighbors reported hearing gun shots.

“He had apparently went to a residence where the suspect, along with another male and female were staying to recover money he said he was owed from a construction job,” Arthur said.

When he was refused payment, Allen then took a pair of bolt cutters and cut power to the trailer. A foot chase followed and gunshots were fired, Arthur said.

“One of the shots hit the victim in the upper chest,” Arthur said. “He then ran about 50 to 100 yards and collapsed.”

Allen was pronounced dead at the scene, Arthur said.

Deputies arrested 31-year-old Justin Bryan Stills. While reports say Stills is from Atmore, his address on the Baldwin County Corrections Facility website is listed as McKinley Road in Perdido.

“We believe that he bounces back and forth between the two areas,” Arthur said. The same is true of the victim, who is believed to be in his mid to late 20s, he said.

After an extensive search, deputies recovered a .22 caliber North American Arms pistol at another residence that is believed to be the murder weapon.

“The wounds are consistent with those that would have been made by the weapon,” Arthur said, “and we also have witnesses that say they saw Stills enter the residence, drop the pistol and say something about the shooting. Ballistic tests will have to be conducted, but we’re pretty confident that was the weapon used.”