A 14-year-old Alabama boy has been arrested for the murder of his 17-year-old brother and had a “hit list” of other family members he planned to kill.
Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas said that the 17-year-old victim was found dead outside the family’s home Tuesday afternoon, WSFA reported. He had been missing since Monday, although family members had not reported the disappearance.
Thomas said the younger boy confessed, telling detectives he shot his brother from the back porch. The older boy staggered out of the house and fell down the back stairs. The suspect told detectives he dragged the body about 60 yards across the property.
The boys’ father returned home later that day and asked where the older brother was, but the younger boy said he didn’t know.
According to Thomas, the father was called to pick up the 14-year-old from school the next day because he was upset about his brother’s disappearance. The two of them searched for him, and the father found his son’s body and called police.
Thomas said that in the course of interviewing witnesses, a friend at school said that the 14-year-old admitted killing his brother.
“He then asked his friend to help him murder the rest of his family and help him bury their bodies,” Thomas said in a statement. “The friend also stated the 14-year-old had a hit list in his book bag of family members he wanted to kill and made statements about wanting to shoot up the school.”
Investigators searched the boy’s book bag and found the list, Thomas said.
It’s not clear if the boy will be tried as an adult, but he is being held at the Pike County jail on a murder charge.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.