Tuesday, May 19, 2026 – Trial Day 1
The murder trial of Lazarrell Dewayne Fennell opened Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court with hours of testimony, surveillance evidence and a lengthy interrogation video that prosecutors say points to a calculated act of violence fueled by anger, jealousy and an inability to let go of a failed relationship. Defense attorneys, however, argued the state’s case is built entirely on assumptions and circumstantial evidence with no direct proof identifying Fennell as the shooter.
Fennell, age 42, is charged with murder in the March 31, 2024 shooting death of Deuntae Jarrod Johnson outside Warehouse 207 in Scottsboro. Authorities allege Johnson, age 31, was shot multiple times while sitting inside a black Nissan Altima in the rear parking lot of the popular downtown venue during the early morning hours of Easter Sunday.
The courtroom remained full throughout the day as family members, friends and members of the public listened closely while prosecutors laid out a timeline they say began years earlier with the deterioration of Fennell’s relationship with his wife, Jameela El-Ameen.
Assistant District Attorney Krystina Jackson opened the state’s case by telling jurors the shooting was not a sudden act but the culmination of countless decisions and moments that eventually collided outside Warehouse 207.
“Our lives are made up of moments,” Jackson told the jury. “The bulk of them are small and seem insignificant, but strung together they become meaningful.”
Jackson argued those moments ultimately led to the deadly shooting just after 1 a.m. on March 31, 2024.
According to prosecutors, Johnson entered his vehicle at approximately 1:17 a.m. One minute later, Jackson said, “one of those big moments occurred.”
Jackson described what jurors would later see on surveillance footage from the parking lot, telling them Johnson could be seen desperately attempting to escape after gunfire erupted.
“You’ll see evidence of Deuntae trying to get away from the bullets being fired into his body,” Jackson said. “He tries to exit and eventually escapes through the passenger door of the vehicle he had just entered.”
Jackson said the footage shows Johnson, wearing a white sweatshirt, fleeing from the vehicle before collapsing from his wounds.
“You’ll see Deuntae, riddled with bullets, his white sweatshirt becoming red as blood soaks through from his wounds,” she told jurors.
Although prosecutors acknowledged the surveillance footage does not clearly identify the shooter because of the darkness, Jackson argued the evidence surrounding the shooting, combined with statements made by Fennell, would establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Much of the prosecution’s opening statement centered on Fennell’s relationship with Jameela El-Ameen, whom prosecutors described as his wife and longtime partner dating back to their teenage years. According to Jackson, the relationship deteriorated over time despite the couple sharing children together.
“They, like all marriages, had their problems, but those problems grew,” Jackson said. “Finally, his wife Jameela found her breaking point.”
Jackson told jurors that while Fennell was serving 90 days in jail in Whitfield County, Georgia, Jameela finally decided to leave the relationship and move on. Prosecutors alleged that during that time she began seeing Johnson.
“For the first time since the age of 17 someone finally shows her attention and appreciation,” Jackson said.
According to the prosecution, prior to being released from jail on March 29, 2024, Fennell learned Jameela was seeing someone else and became enraged.
“She tells him she’s leaving and moving on,” Jackson said. “She tells him she’s seeing someone new, but the defendant can’t let that happen. No one is going to stand in his way.”
Jackson concluded her opening by reminding jurors, “There are no small insignificant moments. All of our choices are important.”
Defense attorney Jennifer Lackey immediately pushed back against the state’s narrative during opening statements, arguing prosecutors were asking jurors to assume Fennell committed the crime without producing direct evidence.
“The scariest client is an innocent client,” Lackey told jurors.
Lackey acknowledged Johnson was murdered but repeatedly emphasized what she described as serious gaps in the prosecution’s case.
“A man was murdered, and there is plenty of doubt,” she said. “But remember these words: ‘Where is it? Where is the evidence?’”
The defense stressed repeatedly that Fennell enters trial presumed innocent and that the state alone carries the burden of proof.
“There is no direct evidence, no eyewitnesses, no confession, no weapon, no DNA, no fingerprints,” Lackey argued. “All the evidence is circumstantial. It’s all possibilities, not proof.”
Lackey warned jurors not to allow prosecutors to convince them to “fill in the blanks” themselves.
“The State will present pieces and ask you to fill in the blanks,” she said. “When a man’s freedom is hanging on this, those assumptions must be airtight.”
She also questioned whether investigators focused too heavily on Fennell from the beginning while ignoring other possibilities.
“Did law enforcement follow all leads or pick him and fail to do a thorough investigation?” Lackey asked jurors.
The state’s first witness Tuesday was Audrey Tomlin, who testified she was at Warehouse 207 the night of the shooting with a group of friends. Tomlin said she arrived around 9 p.m. and remained there throughout the evening. She testified she did not know either Johnson or Fennell before the shooting.
Tomlin explained she was serving as the designated driver that night and consumed less than one alcoholic drink during the evening. Near closing time, she returned to her truck while her friends inside went to use the restroom before leaving. Her truck was backed into a parking space facing the patio area behind Warehouse 207.
While waiting in the vehicle, Tomlin testified she observed a person dressed in dark clothing walking from the direction of Laurel Street toward the driver’s side of a black car parked nearby.
Moments later, gunfire erupted.
Tomlin told jurors she then saw Johnson climb through the passenger side door and attempt to run toward the patio area before collapsing. She testified she could not identify the shooter because she only saw a dark silhouette in the nighttime conditions. After the shooting, she said she observed the shooter running back toward Laurel Street.
The final witness of the day was Zackie Gant with the Scottsboro Police Department, who spent several hours walking jurors through the investigation, evidence collection and eventual arrest of Fennell.
Gant testified he received a call regarding the shooting at approximately 1:31 a.m. and responded to Warehouse 207 where patrol officers had already secured the scene with yellow crime scene tape.
According to Gant, the black Nissan Altima involved in the shooting had extensive bullet holes and shattered glass along the driver’s side. Prosecutors introduced numerous photographs into evidence showing the damaged vehicle, blood-stained gravel in the parking lot, the patio area behind Warehouse 207 and the wall where Johnson collapsed after fleeing the vehicle.
Gant testified Johnson had already been transported from the scene by paramedics before he arrived.
Jurors were also shown surveillance footage from the parking lot. Gant testified the black-and-white video showed a silhouette approaching the vehicle followed by flashes of light consistent with gunfire. According to Gant, the footage then showed Johnson fleeing the vehicle while his white sweatshirt gradually darkened from blood caused by his wounds.
Investigators testified Johnson had been shot with a .45 caliber firearm. The state also introduced records showing the black Nissan Altima was jointly registered to Fennell and Jameela El-Ameen.
The jury then heard testimony regarding how investigators located Fennell later that same morning.
According to Gant, Scottsboro investigators received information suggesting Fennell could be in the Guntersville area near where his father lived. Investigators contacted the Guntersville Police Department, and Fennell was eventually stopped while driving a blue 2014 Ford Fusion.
Gant testified Fennell agreed to speak with investigators after being read his rights.
According to investigators, Fennell claimed he had left the Meridianville home of his other wife, Amanda Reed, and was traveling toward Scottsboro when his brother called warning him not to come because police were “stopping everyone” after a fight at a local club.
Fennell denied having a firearm, denied knowing Johnson and claimed he had only distant family connections in the Guntersville area.
With permission to search the vehicle, investigators located damp boots and grass in the trunk of the Ford Fusion. Jurors were also shown a photograph of Fennell standing beside the vehicle wearing what appeared to be a black shirt and coveralls.
A major portion of the afternoon focused on approximately two hours of interrogation footage shown to jurors involving Gant, Scottsboro investigator Chris McIllwain and Fennell.
Before the interrogation video began, courtroom tension briefly eased when a member of the defense team’s cellphone accidentally connected to the courtroom Bluetooth system and unexpectedly began playing dog food commercials, drawing laughter.
During the interrogation, Fennell repeatedly discussed his anger regarding Jameela and Johnson’s relationship.
At several points in the recording, Fennell stated Jameela “pissed me off.” He admitted telling a cousin, “Tell that [expletive] he better stay away from my wife.” He also acknowledged telling Jameela, “You think when I get out you’re going to run around?”
Fennell explained to investigators that he had been released from a Georgia jail on the Friday before the shooting and that Amanda Reed picked him up before they traveled through Chattanooga to Meridianville. He stated the couple remained home on Saturday aside from a trip to Taco Mama.
According to Fennell, he decided around 1:30 a.m. to travel to Scottsboro to retrieve clothing and tools. He claimed he was traveling toward Guntersville when his brother called informing him “something went down” involving Jameela’s vehicle.
Jurors heard Fennell repeatedly say, “That’s my car,” while discussing the Nissan Altima. He also stated his brother later told him, “Dude got shot in her car.”
Investigators repeatedly challenged Fennell’s timeline and route of travel during the interrogation.
According to investigator McIllwain, surveillance cameras had captured the blue Ford Fusion in Scottsboro near the Red Roof Inn and Comfort Inn & Suites shortly before the shooting.
“That car you were stopped in is on video at Red Roof Inn and Comfort Inn in Scottsboro,” McIllwain told Fennell. “You were stalking him.”
McIllwain later attempted to persuade Fennell to tell investigators the truth.
“I’d be pissed too,” McIllwain said during the interrogation. “But at the same time, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I did this. This is your chance to do what’s right.”
Fennell calmly responded, “Okay,” but continued denying involvement throughout the interview. He repeatedly maintained he never entered Scottsboro that night and insisted investigators were wrong about the vehicle captured on surveillance footage.
At one point during the interrogation, investigators told Fennell they had spoken with family members who allegedly told them they “saw this coming.”
The interrogation video concluded with investigators informing Fennell his cellphone and vehicle would be seized before placing him under arrest for murder.
Defense attorney Brian White later cross-examined Gant and questioned whether investigators thoroughly examined Johnson’s friends and acquaintances as possible leads or suspects.
Gant testified he only knew Johnson from years earlier while serving on bike patrol. He also stated he did not believe those individuals were relevant to the investigation.
Testimony adjourned Tuesday afternoon. The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. in Jackson County Circuit Court.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2026 – Trial Day 2
The second day of testimony in the murder trial of Lazarrell Fennell brought hours of emotional and detailed testimony as prosecutors continued presenting evidence surrounding the March 31, 2024 shooting death of Deuntae Johnson outside Warehouse 207 in Scottsboro.
Jurors heard testimony from law enforcement officers, forensic experts, business owners and the defendant’s estranged wife as the State sought to establish the sequence of events leading up to the deadly shooting.
The day began with testimony from Scottsboro Police Department investigator Zac Randall, who detailed physical evidence collected from the crime scene and inside the victim’s vehicle. Randall testified investigators recovered numerous .45 caliber shell casings both inside and around the black Nissan Altima involved in the shooting. Jurors were shown crime scene photographs depicting blood spatter inside the vehicle, the victim’s shoe and a $20 bill located near the scene.
Randall testified officers also discovered an unloaded firearm without a magazine in the back pocket area of one of the seats. In the driver’s side door pocket, investigators located a .380 caliber magazine. Additional items recovered from the vehicle included fragmented bullets, another shoe and a cellphone. According to Randall, four spent bullets were recovered from inside the vehicle itself, adding to the extensive ballistic evidence collected during the investigation.
During cross-examination, defense attorney White questioned Randall regarding the firearm discovered in the vehicle. Randall acknowledged he personally did not examine or test the weapon recovered from the car.
The State next called Scottsboro Police Department officer Chris McIllwain, who testified he has served with the department for 19 years. McIllwain stated he responded to Highlands Medical Center the morning of the shooting to assist with security. He also testified that he took possession of a black stocking cap discovered in a grassy area near the crime scene and later turned the item over to investigators with the Scottsboro Police Department. Defense attorneys declined to cross-examine McIllwain.
One of the most graphic portions of the day came during testimony from Valerie Green of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences pathology division. Green, who testified she has worked in forensic pathology for approximately 18 years, conducted the autopsy on Johnson and told jurors the victim died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Using autopsy photographs presented to the jury, Green carefully described each wound and the path of the bullets through the victim’s body. She testified one bullet entered through the left shoulder area and traveled downward before lodging near the left collarbone. Another gunshot entered through the back of the right arm, fracturing the humerus before lodging in soft tissue.
Green further testified the victim sustained a gunshot wound to the right thigh that resulted in both entrance and exit wounds. Another bullet entered through the buttocks area and lodged in the victim’s right pelvis. The most severe wound, according to Green, entered through the left middle back, fracturing the sixth rib and traveling through the lower lung, right atrium, right ventricle and pulmonary artery before lodging in the center of the chest cavity.
Green testified approximately 1,200 milliliters of blood accumulated in the chest cavity from that wound alone. In total, she testified the victim suffered five separate gunshot wounds. During the autopsy, investigators recovered four bullets and one bullet fragment from the victim’s body. Defense attorneys declined cross-examination following Green’s testimony.
Outside the presence of the jury, attorneys spent considerable time arguing over whether the defendant’s estranged wife, Jameela El-Ameen, could be compelled to testify. Defense attorneys argued the couple had entered into either a valid common law marriage or a religious marriage recognized under Islamic faith traditions, which they claimed entitled the defendant to spousal privilege protections.
Prosecutors countered that any alleged common law relationship would have originated in Georgia, which abolished recognition of new common law marriages after January 1, 1997. Prosecutors further argued the witness herself had testified the couple was not legally married under state law.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge ruled no valid common law marriage existed and determined the religious marriage ceremony described by the witness was insufficient to establish marital privilege under Alabama law. Defense attorneys strongly objected to the ruling, with one attorney stating on the record that he believed the decision constituted “reversible error.”
The State then called Damon Cooper of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences firearms division. Cooper testified that ballistic evidence recovered during the investigation indicated bullets were fired from either a Versa or Glock-style firearm.
Jurors also heard testimony from Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office deputy Cody Sharp of Dalton, Georgia. Sharp testified regarding an August 31, 2024 incident involving threats allegedly made by the defendant toward both law enforcement officers and members of Jameela El-Ameen’s family.
Sharp testified he responded to a call concerning threats made toward Jameela El-Ameen while the defendant was reportedly in Tennessee. After reviewing text messages exchanged between the parties, Sharp prepared a supplemental report connected to the investigation. Sharp testified the defendant later called a family member’s phone, which Sharp answered. According to Sharp, the conversation quickly escalated.
“He was aggressive, screaming threats,” Sharp testified, stating the defendant allegedly threatened to “shoot at” law enforcement officers while also making racial comments during the approximately three-minute call. Sharp testified additional officers were present during the incident and law enforcement took precautionary steps afterward, including notifying supervisors and family members connected to the case.
Much of the afternoon focused on testimony from Jameela El-Ameen herself, who provided jurors with extensive details regarding her relationship with the defendant and events leading up to the shooting. She testified she met the defendant in March 2006 at a place of worship where her father held a leadership position. Approximately one month later, the two participated in an Islamic religious marriage ceremony, though the marriage was never legally recorded with the state.
She testified the couple later moved to Alabama in 2011 and lived together while raising children. According to her testimony, problems within the relationship intensified in 2023 after the defendant informed her he intended to marry another woman.
Jameela El-Ameen testified she attempted to leave the relationship and began searching for an apartment. She alleged the defendant became physically abusive after learning she intended to leave and made repeated threats to kill her. She testified he stalked her, followed her in vehicles and at one point fired a shotgun into the air near her head.
She further described an incident in which she had temporarily gone to stay with family members. According to her testimony, the defendant contacted her claiming he had accidentally left a work computer in the trunk of her vehicle. When she went outside to check, she testified the defendant approached her from behind wearing a mask and black gloves before physically forcing her back to Alabama.
Jurors also listened to a recorded phone call prosecutors allege were made by the defendant. During the recordings, the caller could allegedly be heard yelling profanities and threatening violence. Statements played in court included, “Anybody mess with me, you’ll die,” and “I’m not playing with you.” Another statement heard on the recordings included, “I’m going to show your ass some stuff. This is to the graveyard.”
Jameela El-Ameen testified she eventually sought a protection-from-abuse order because she feared for her safety. She stated the defendant was arrested in Dalton, Georgia in late 2023, and afterward she moved into an apartment and began attempting to rebuild her life independently.
She testified she later met Deuntae Johnson through Facebook and began dating him in early 2024. According to her testimony, it was the first romantic relationship she had entered since she was 17 years old.
She told jurors the defendant became upset after learning about her relationship with Johnson. She also testified she owned the black Nissan Altima involved in the shooting and possessed a .380 caliber firearm she originally received from the defendant. According to her testimony, she gave that firearm to Johnson on the night of the shooting.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Jennifer Lackey questioned El-Ameen extensively regarding dates of alleged threats and the timeline of her relationship with Fennell. She acknowledged she recorded some conversations with the defendant because she believed he had been threatening her for an extended period of time.
The State later called numerous witnesses connected to surveillance video footage gathered during the investigation. Jimmy Coble, owner of Warehouse 207, testified the business maintained multiple surveillance cameras throughout the property. He explained recordings were stored on a password-protected DVR system located in the office. Coble testified the time stamp on the footage was off by approximately one hour at the time of the shooting.
Defense attorneys questioned Coble regarding investigators obtaining video from inside the business, and Coble acknowledged he knew the victim personally.
Additional witnesses authenticated surveillance footage from several businesses and locations throughout Scottsboro, including the Scottsboro-Jackson Heritage Center, Comfort Inn and Suites, Holland Family Dentistry, CTS Excavations and Scottsboro City Hall. Witnesses consistently testified the footage had not been altered prior to investigators retrieving it, and that the camera systems were secure and password protected.
Comfort Inn and Suites general manager Michelle Venable testified she was at work the morning of March 31 when a blue vehicle with an obscured license plate rapidly drove through the parking lot. Defense attorneys later emphasized during cross-examination that the tag appeared intentionally covered or obscured.
Scottsboro Police Department investigator Ryan Putman testified he later located a firearm inside Amanda Reed’s purse during the investigation, though he did not locate a .45 caliber weapon. Putman also testified he downloaded surveillance footage from Pilgrim’s Pride and turned it over to investigator Zackie Gant.
Additional testimony was presented from IT personnel and business representatives who verified surveillance footage and explained minor time discrepancies between various camera systems used during the investigation.
The trial is expected to continue tomorrow with additional witness testimony.
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Thursday, May 21, 2026 – Trial Day 3
The third day of testimony in the murder trial of Lazarrell Fennell focused heavily on cellphone data, digital forensic evidence and surveillance footage, as prosecutors continued attempting to place the defendant in the Scottsboro area around the time of the March 31, 2024 shooting death of Deuntae Johnson.
Before jurors were brought into the courtroom, attorneys argued over the admissibility and context of certain text messages extracted from the defendant’s cellphone records. Prosecutors argued the full context of one particular message was important, specifically a message allegedly sent from the defendant’s phone to a contact identified as “Aliza,” described in testimony as the defendant’s brother.
Defense attorneys argued portions of the message were irrelevant and prejudicial and should not be presented to the jury.
Prosecutors also referenced another message allegedly sent by the defendant to wife Amanda Reed at approximately 11:40 p.m. on March 30, 2024, instructing her to “close the garage,” while noting the defendant had previously claimed he did not leave the residence until approximately 2 a.m.
Following arguments from both sides, the judge ruled portions of the message would be redacted before presentation to the jury, allowing only the statement, “I have touched down, please conceal that I have returned,” to be introduced into evidence.
The State’s first witness of the morning was Special Agent Blake Downy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Downy testified he serves as a Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST) analyst specializing in the examination and interpretation of cellphone location records. He testified there are approximately 26 CAST agents nationwide, including two assigned within Alabama, and stated he frequently testifies for both prosecution and defense teams in criminal cases involving cellphone analysis.
Downy testified that cellphone records associated with the defendant’s phone showed activity and travel patterns beginning on March 29, 2024. According to his testimony, records indicated a message was sent from the defendant’s phone to a number associated with “Aliza Fennell” stating, “I have touched down, please conceal that I have returned.”
Jurors also heard testimony regarding additional messages allegedly sent from the defendant’s phone on March 30, 2024. Downy testified that at approximately 11:38 p.m., a message was sent to a number associated with Amanda Reed instructing her to “close the garage.” According to Downy, another message followed shortly afterward stating, “Don’t be foolish.”
Using maps and cellphone tower analysis, Downy testified records indicated the defendant traveled from the Meridianville area along Highway 72 East toward Gurley during the late-night hours before the shooting. According to Downy, the cellphone associated with the defendant was powered off at approximately 12:12 a.m. Downy testified that at the time the phone was powered off, records placed the device approximately 4.03 miles from a cellphone tower located in Scottsboro. The phone remained powered off until approximately 1:39 a.m. According to Downy’s testimony, records later showed the phone active again beginning around 1:50 a.m. in the Guntersville area near the residence of the defendant’s father. He testified cellphone records indicated the defendant remained in that area from approximately 1:50 a.m. until 3:30 a.m.
Downy also testified that all outgoing calls placed from the phone between approximately 1:50 a.m. and 4:44 a.m. utilized the *67 function, which blocks caller identification information from appearing on the recipient’s phone, but does not conceal the number from records. The witness testified the records indicated the defendant would have been in the Scottsboro area roughly one hour before the shooting occurred.
During cross-examination, defense attorneys asked relatively few questions. The defense primarily focused on the limitations of cellphone tower analysis, questioning whether the records only reflected times when the cellphone was actively being used. Downy stated the records reflected periods of phone activity. Defense attorneys also asked whether the records specifically placed the cellphone at Warehouse 207, the location where the shooting occurred. Downy testified the records did not specifically place the phone at Warehouse 207 itself.
The State next called Daniel Kynard of the Huntsville Police Department’s North Alabama Multi-Agency Crime Center (NAMACC), where he serves as a digital forensic analyst specializing in data extraction from electronic devices. Kynard testified he performed a forensic extraction of data from the defendant’s cellphone as part of the investigation. According to Kynard, data recovered from the phone showed searches on Facebook for both Deuntae Johnson and Jameela El-Ameen. Kynard testified the records further indicated the defendant had been viewing photographs from the victim’s Facebook account prior to the shooting.
Kynard also testified the forensic extraction showed the defendant’s cellphone disconnected from Wi-Fi at the Meridianville residence at approximately 11:40 p.m. on March 30. He further testified Bluetooth records showed the device connected to a vehicle at approximately 11:48 p.m., before the phone was powered off at approximately 12:12 a.m. According to Kynard, the phone was later powered back on around 1:50 a.m. in the vicinity of Wyeth Road in Guntersville, where records indicated it remained until approximately 3:32 a.m.
Jurors also heard testimony regarding outgoing calls placed after the phone was powered back on. Kynard testified the phone placed calls to Aliza Fennell at approximately 1:53 a.m., 2:21 a.m. and again at 2:51 a.m. He testified the phone also placed a call to Amanda Reed at approximately 2:31 a.m. Kynard further testified records showed calls to Aliza Fennell had later been deleted from the phone. According to his testimony, the phone again synchronized with a vehicle through Bluetooth at approximately 3:24 a.m.
During cross-examination, defense attorneys questioned Kynard regarding timestamps listed in his forensic reports. Specifically, attorneys asked why portions of the report referenced “UTC-6.” Kynard explained that UTC-6 corresponds to Central Standard Time, the time zone applicable to Alabama during the investigation.
The remainder of the day’s testimony focused largely on authenticating surveillance footage gathered during the investigation from multiple businesses and locations throughout the region.
Sam Pattell testified that surveillance footage obtained from the Red Roof Inn was accurate and securely maintained through the hotel’s surveillance system. Melissa Smith testified similarly regarding surveillance footage obtained from Pilgrim’s Pride, stating the video system was secure and the footage accurately reflected what was recorded on the date in question. Additional testimony came from Deanna Orgill, who testified surveillance footage from Shacky’s was accurate and properly maintained, and from Alan Tolar, who testified video footage from Tolar Construction was also accurate and securely stored.
Prosecutors continued building a timeline using cellphone data, digital records and surveillance footage in an effort to place the defendant’s movements before and after the fatal shooting.
Additional testimony was later provided by Kristie Carter with Comfort Inn. Carter testified that on March 31 she was working and stepped outside during a break when she observed a blue vehicle traveling at what she described as a high rate of speed coming from Highway 72 onto Snodgrass Road and into the hotel parking lot. Carter testified the speed of the vehicle immediately caught her attention. She testified she observed what appeared to be a black trash bag covering the vehicle’s license plate and also noticed a cloth covering the driver’s face. She stated the vehicle’s behavior concerned her enough that she contacted the Scottsboro Police Department and locked up the hotel’s cash deposits afterward because she feared something suspicious was occurring.
Lieutenant Coty Durham, who was serving as a detective at the time of the shooting, later testified that investigators collected or received surveillance footage from numerous locations including Red Roof Inn, Quality Inn, Comfort Inn, the Jackson County Heritage Center, Scottsboro City Hall, Shacky’s, Tolar Construction, Holland Family Dentistry, CTS Excavations and Pilgrim’s Pride.
Durham then walked jurors through a detailed timeline created from the surveillance footage. According to Durham, video showed the victim arriving at Warehouse 207 at approximately 11:18 p.m. Durham testified the footage showed the victim leaving the business at approximately 11:58 p.m., going to his vehicle and then returning inside.
Jurors were then shown footage from the Quality Inn that allegedly depicted a blue vehicle matching the description of the defendant’s vehicle circling the parking lot at approximately 12:41 a.m. Additional video from Comfort Inn allegedly showed the same blue vehicle entering and circling that parking lot at approximately 12:47 a.m.
Durham testified the same vehicle was later captured on surveillance video slowly passing Warehouse 207 before backing up across the street near an adjacent business at approximately 1:08 a.m. According to Durham, the footage then showed the vehicle pulling away and traveling a route that included South Houston Street, West Peachtree Street, Caldwell Street, Willow Street and then back onto South Houston Street.
Additional footage shown to jurors allegedly depicted the vehicle speeding past Shacky’s before turning toward Warehouse 207 shortly before the shooting. According to Durham, surveillance footage timestamped approximately 1:16 a.m. showed the victim exiting Warehouse 207 and parking his vehicle behind a trailer in the parking lot. Durham testified the video then showed a dark figure entering the parking lot followed by visible flashes consistent with gunfire and people running back inside the business.
Durham testified additional surveillance footage then showed a blue vehicle speeding past Tolar Construction at approximately 1:20 a.m., passing Holland Family Dentistry at approximately 1:21 a.m. and traveling past CTS Excavations toward Highway 72 at approximately 1:23 a.m.
Jurors were also shown video from Pilgrim’s Pride in Guntersville that allegedly showed the same blue vehicle turning onto Wyeth Road at approximately 1:47 a.m. Durham testified additional footage later showed the vehicle leaving Wyeth Road at approximately 3:31 a.m.
During cross-examination, defense attorneys questioned Durham about who entered the victim’s vehicle with him earlier in the evening. Durham testified the individual was identified as Skylar Lee. When asked what the two were doing inside the vehicle, Durham responded, “Talking.”
Prosecutors continued presenting testimony late into the third day of the trial, calling witnesses connected to the defendant’s movements, firearm possession and recorded jail phone calls leading up to the March 31, 2024 shooting death Johnson.
The State first called Susan Bell, described in testimony as the longtime girlfriend of the defendant’s father. Bell testified that during the early morning hours of March 31 she was awakened by knocking on the window of the Guntersville residence she shared with the defendant’s father. Bell testified she then heard the defendant and his father speaking outside the residence.
Bell, who appeared visibly emotional during portions of her testimony, stated that after the defendant was incarcerated, Aliza Fennell retrieved the defendant’s belongings from the Guntersville residence. Bell further testified that the defendant remained at the residence only approximately 20 minutes before leaving again.
Later in the afternoon, prosecutors called Amanda Reed, the defendant’s wife, to testify. Reed told jurors that in December 2022 she purchased a Glock 21 handgun for the defendant. According to her testimony, after the defendant was later incarcerated in Georgia, he informed her the firearm had been left with his brother, prompting her to retrieve it. Reed testified that on Saturday, March 29, she observed the Glock 21 sitting on the kitchen island beside a gold-and-white box of ammunition. She stated she questioned the defendant about why he had the firearm out, but testified he did not provide an explanation.
According to Reed, she was later awakened during the overnight hours by the defendant running into something inside the bedroom. When she asked him what he was doing, she testified he told her he was gathering clothes. Reed testified she believed he was actually leaving to look for Jameela El-Ameen. Reed testified she later received a text message from the defendant instructing her to close the garage door. She stated the defendant then called her at approximately 2:30 a.m. and told her there had been a shooting and that his brother would no longer meet him, adding that he was going to Guntersville.
According to Reed, the defendant’s brother later contacted her by phone as well, although she did not testify regarding the details of that conversation. Reed stated she then began searching for the Glock 21 firearm but could not locate it. When she questioned the defendant about where the gun was, she testified he only responded by saying he had “put it up.” Reed further testified the defendant returned home at approximately 4 a.m.
Jurors also heard testimony regarding the days immediately following the shooting. Reed testified that on April 1 the couple traveled to Scottsboro to retrieve the defendant’s clothing before going to the Scottsboro Police Department. She additionally testified that an ammunition can discovered in the trunk of the vehicle belonged to the defendant. According to Reed’s testimony, while the two were riding in the vehicle on April 1, the defendant instructed her to tell anyone who asked that he had left home later than 11:30 p.m. on March 30. Reed also testified she spoke with the defendant as recently as the previous day.
During cross-examination, defense attorneys questioned Reed regarding prior traffic stops involving the vehicle’s tag light. Reed acknowledged she had previously been stopped over the issue, but stated the tag lights had begun functioning properly again until the defendant was later pulled over. Defense attorneys also questioned Reed regarding allegations involving Jameela El-Ameen. Specifically, Reed was asked whether she had ever seen Jameela handing a gun out of a vehicle window. Reed responded that she had not.
The final witness called Wednesday was Scottsboro Police Department Captain Zackie Gant. Gant testified that after learning of the defendant’s incarceration and subsequent release from the Whitfield County Jail in Georgia, investigators retrieved and downloaded recorded jail phone calls and communications associated with the defendant. Jurors then listened to several recorded phone calls between the defendant and various family members.
In one recorded call between the defendant and Jameela El-Ameen, the defendant could reportedly be heard saying, “Please don’t do this to me.” During the conversation, Jameela repeatedly told the defendant she was “done.” The defendant repeatedly questioned her regarding who she was seeing or talking to. Prosecutors played the call in which Jameela either refused to answer or denied being involved with anyone else. At one point during the call, the couple’s child was brought onto the phone. Jurors heard the defendant questioning the child about who her mother had been talking to. When the child indicated she did not know, the defendant responded, “Help your daddy.”
Another recorded jail call played for jurors involved a conversation between the defendant and his sister, Amy Fennell. During the call, the defendant repeatedly questioned his sister regarding who Jameela was speaking with or seeing. At one point in the conversation, the defendant stated, “Jameela’s got me pissed off.”
Jurors also heard a recorded conversation between the defendant and his grandmother. During that call, the defendant’s grandmother could reportedly be heard warning him, “Don’t do anything stupid. You’re going to get in trouble. Just leave her alone. Look at what you’ve been doing.”
The final jail call played for the jury involved a conversation between the defendant and his brother, Aliza Fennell. During the conversation, Aliza allegedly informed the defendant that Jameela had been seeing Deuntae, whom he described as “Trent’s brother.”
According to testimony in court, the call concluded with the defendant beginning to respond, “Just let me do what I do,” before the recording ended for the day’s proceedings.
Testimony in the case is expected to continue tomorrow as prosecutors proceed further into their presentation of evidence, including additional digital records, surveillance footage and witness testimony tied to the investigation.
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Friday, May 22, 2026 – Trial Day 4
The fourth day of testimony in the murder trial of Lazarrell Fennell centered largely on additional recorded jail phone calls, emotional testimony regarding the defendant’s statements about Deuntae Johnson, and the defense’s attempt to raise questions about the initial description of the shooter provided during a 911 call following the March 31, 2024 shooting outside Warehouse 207 in Scottsboro.
Court resumed Friday morning with prosecutors continuing to play recorded jail calls obtained following the defendant’s incarceration. Much of the morning testimony came from Scottsboro Police Department Captain Zackie Gant, who authenticated and discussed the recordings for the jury.
One of the first calls played for jurors involved a conversation between the defendant and Jameela El-Ameen. During the recording, jurors heard the defendant repeatedly question Jameela regarding her relationship with the victim. According to testimony presented in court, the defendant made statements during the call including, “He a n*****, they know about me. I’m sure he’s ready,” and “When I get out I’m going to be done with it. You’re messing with a non-Muslim.”
Throughout the call, the defendant repeatedly demanded the victim’s cellphone number and questioned Jameela regarding whether she had been sexually involved with the victim and whether she wanted to be with him.
Jurors also heard Jameela repeatedly attempting to avoid escalating the conversation while denying portions of the defendant’s accusations. During one portion of the recording, she could be heard saying, “It doesn’t matter, all these years later and I’m still stuck.”
Additional jail calls with similar subject matter and repeated questioning about the victim and Jameela’s relationship were also played for the jury throughout the morning session.
Prosecutors later played a separate recorded call between the defendant and Ramone Fennell. During that conversation, the defendant could reportedly be heard asking Ramone to personally locate the victim. The defendant instructed him not to send a message electronically, but instead to tell the victim face-to-face that “he’s going to deal with me,” and that “he needs to stay away from my wife.”
Another call between the defendant and Jameela El-Ameen was also played in which Jameela attempted to avoid discussing the victim entirely. During the recording, however, the defendant stated that the victim was “going to know what’s up.”
During cross-examination of Captain Zackie Gant, defense attorney White questioned Gant regarding the jail calls. White specifically asked whether the jail calls were collect calls, to which Gant responded he did not know. White also questioned Gant regarding the defendant’s appearance at the time of the shooting, specifically asking whether the defendant had dreadlocks during the March 2024 incident. Gant testified the defendant did not have dreadlocks at that time.
At approximately 10:10 a.m., prosecutors formally rested their case after several days of testimony involving forensic evidence, cellphone records, surveillance footage, witness testimony and recorded jail calls.
Following the State resting its case, defense attorneys made a motion for acquittal, which was denied by the court. The judge then advised the defendant of his constitutional right to testify in his own defense. The defendant chose not to testify.
The defense presented only one witness during its case-in-chief, Jackson County 911 Director Melanie McMillan.
McMillan testified regarding the accuracy and logging of multiple 911 calls received during the early morning hours of March 31, 2024 following the shooting at Warehouse 207. Jurors heard testimony that several emergency calls were placed from the scene. Particular attention was focused on one 911 call made by Anthony Moore. During the call, the caller stated, “We need officers at Warehouse 207. There’s a man down about to die. It’s a black male, black shirt on foot west on Houston Street with dreadlocks. We’re not letting this mother f***** get away.” Defense attorneys appeared to focus heavily on the physical description included in the 911 call, specifically the reference to dreadlocks, as part of their effort to challenge the identification of the shooter.
Prosecutors declined to cross-examine McMillan.
The defense rested its case at approximately 10:43 a.m.
However, prosecutors then called one final rebuttal witness, Captain Zackie Gant, back to the stand. Gant testified that investigators obtained statements from Anthony Moore, Jordan Mitchell and Dustin Stewart following the shooting. Jurors were then shown surveillance footage in an attempt to clarify the confusion surrounding the initial description provided during the 911 call.
According to Gant’s testimony, the video showed Anthony Moore walking toward the back patio area after the shooting occurred to assist the victim. The footage also showed Dustin Stewart exiting the building first and running toward the victim immediately after gunfire erupted. Gant further explained the footage that showed Jordan Mitchell, described in testimony as a black male wearing black clothing with dreadlocks, running past the victim’s vehicle toward the roadway before circling around an adjacent building and ultimately returning to the victim after the shooting.
Gant testified that Anthony Moore was not intentionally providing false information during the 911 call, but instead had mistakenly identified another individual seen running in the aftermath of the shooting rather than the actual shooter.
With testimony concluded, the case is now expected to move into closing arguments Tuesday morning before being submitted to the jury for deliberations.|
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Tuesday, May 26, 2026 – Trial Day 5
Day 5 of the murder trial of Lazarrelle Fennell began early Tuesday morning in Jackson County Circuit Court with attorneys and the court reviewing jury instructions ahead of closing arguments in the case surrounding the death of Deuntae Johnson.
Presiding Judge John Graham met with prosecutors and defense attorneys to discuss proposed jury charges, including instructions regarding circumstantial evidence, the burden of proof, and the defendant’s constitutional right not to testify. Jurors entered the courtroom shortly after 9 a.m. to hear final arguments from both sides.
The prosecution, led by Jackson County Assistant District Attorney Krystina Jackson, focused heavily on the timeline constructed from cellphone tower data, interrogation statements and witness testimony gathered throughout the weeklong trial.
Jackson reminded jurors of comments she made during opening statements about “small moments” leading to larger consequences. She argued those moments included Fennell allegedly leaving his home late at night, covering vehicle tags and turning off his cellphone.
Jackson then walked jurors through the elements of murder, stating the prosecution had proven Johnson was deceased, that Fennell caused Johnson’s death by shooting him with a firearm, and that the killing was intentional.
Throughout her closing, Jackson repeatedly referenced inconsistencies between Fennell’s interrogation statements and cellphone records presented during trial testimony. According to Jackson, Fennell told investigators he remained in Meridianville until around 2 a.m., but Verizon and forensic cellphone data allegedly showed him leaving much earlier when his phone connected to his vehicle’s Bluetooth system.
Jackson argued the cellphone tower evidence showed Fennell traveling toward Scottsboro prior to the shooting and contradicted his explanation of the route he claimed to have taken that night. She told jurors tower records placed Fennell’s cellphone within several miles of a Scottsboro tower approximately an hour before the homicide.
The prosecution also pointed to testimony regarding calls Fennell allegedly made to family members before and after the shooting, including the use of *67 and attempts to delete calls from his phone records. Jackson argued those actions demonstrated consciousness of guilt and an effort to conceal his whereabouts and communications.
Jackson further referenced testimony about Fennell’s relationship with his estranged wife, Jameela El-Ameen, and recorded jail calls played earlier in the trial. Prosecutors argued jealousy and anger over the victim’s relationship with El-Ameen provided motive for the shooting.
During closing arguments, Jackson reminded jurors that investigators testified the caliber firearm used in the shooting matched a firearm allegedly seen earlier at Fennell’s residence and that the weapon has not been recovered since the homicide. She urged jurors to view the evidence collectively rather than as isolated facts.
Defense attorney Jennifer Lackey began her closing arguments shortly before 10 a.m., emphasizing what she described as the prosecution’s failure to provide direct evidence tying Fennell to the crime scene. Lackey argued the state’s case relied entirely on theories and assumptions rather than concrete proof. Referencing remarks she made during opening statements, Lackey again asked jurors, “Where is it?” — referring to the lack of physical evidence directly connecting Fennell to the murder.
The defense criticized the investigation conducted by the Scottsboro Police Department, calling it flawed despite the large number of witnesses and exhibits introduced during the trial. Lackey argued prosecutors failed to prove Fennell was present at the scene of the shooting or that he fired the fatal shots. Lackey highlighted that Fennell voluntarily complied with officers during a traffic stop following the shooting and consented to a search of his vehicle. She also referenced a photograph shown to jurors of Fennell smiling during the stop, arguing it was inconsistent with someone who had just committed murder.
The defense additionally attacked the interrogation tactics used by investigators, specifically referencing testimony and interview footage involving Scottsboro Police Captain Zackie Gant. Lackey argued investigators unfairly pressured Fennell during questioning and attempted to force a confession.
Lackey also challenged the prosecution’s reliance on cellphone tower analysis conducted by FBI CAST investigators, emphasizing that testimony used terms such as “generally,” “likely” and “possibly” rather than definitively placing Fennell at Warehouse 207 during the shooting.
The defense maintained that emotional jail phone calls and statements made while upset over marital issues did not amount to proof of murder. Lackey argued prosecutors had failed to establish any coordinated plan to kill Johnson and suggested investigators failed to thoroughly examine other individuals who may have had conflicts with the victim.
During rebuttal, Jackson County District Attorney Jason Pierce argued the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrated planning and intent. Pierce played additional recorded phone calls and described Fennell as being “on the hunt” in the weeks leading up to the shooting. Pierce focused heavily on surveillance video allegedly showing a vehicle matching Fennell’s car near Warehouse 207, including similarities involving wheel design, brake lights and a partially functioning tag light. Pierce argued the probability of another identical vehicle being in Scottsboro that night was virtually impossible.
The prosecution also pointed to testimony from Amanda Reed regarding a .45 caliber firearm allegedly possessed by Fennell prior to the shooting and later missing afterward. Pierce argued statements about “putting the gun up” implied Fennell still possessed the weapon following the homicide. Pierce closed rebuttal by calling the killing a “public execution” and urging jurors to return a guilty verdict.
Following final jury instructions from Judge Graham, deliberations began at approximately 11:36 a.m. Alternate jurors were dismissed and jurors’ cellphones were collected before deliberations started. At 12:56 p.m., Judge Graham announced the jury had reached a verdict. As the courtroom fell silent, it was announced that the jury found Fennell guilty of murder.
Following the jury’s dismissal, Judge Graham formally adjudged Fennell guilty and ordered he remain held without bond pending sentencing.
Following court proceedings, District Attorney Jason Pierce released the following statement, “What happened in the Warehouse 207 parking lot was nothing short of a savage execution. Deuntae Johnson was ambushed and gunned down in a senseless act of violence. Today, a jury of twelve citizens saw through the lies, reviewed the overwhelming evidence, and delivered the justice that Deuntae’s family has waited over two years to see. This verdict sends a clear, unwavering message that such brutality will not be tolerated in our community. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to the jurors. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to Detective Zackie Gant and the entirety of the Scottsboro Police Department.” Pierce added, “The tireless dedication of their responding officers and investigators ensured that critical evidence was preserved, leading directly to today’s conviction. We thank the numerous business owners who preserved essential video footage and took the time to testify in the case. Finally, we also stand with the family of Deuntae Johnson, whose strength throughout this painful process has been profound.”
