Four Charged with Robbery After Stealing Money While Armed

(DOTHAN, Ala.) On May 26, 2025 at 6:00 pm, Dothan Police responded to reports of a robbery of a person in the 2900 block of Saint Peter Street near Ross Clark Circle.  It was reported to investigators, while the victim was visiting an acquaintance and seated in the vehicle, a person entered the passenger side of the vehicle.  The suspect pulled a firearm and demanded property.  During the robbery, it was reported three other individuals came from a residence in the 2900 block of Saint Peter Street to aid in the robbery also armed with firearms.  After the robbery, the four suspects went into a residence.  Due to the quick response from patrol officers, the residence was surrounded.  Once people were removed from the residence, the four suspects were identified as Malachi Ray (19) of Columbia, AL, Dallas Porter (18) of Dothan, Camron Jackson of Dothan, and a juvenile under the age of 18 years old.

All suspects were charged with robbery 1st degree and placed in the Houston County Jail.  The juvenile, due to the nature and seriousness of the charge, is being charged as an adult.  However, Alabama privacy laws prevent the identification of the juvenile.  This dangerous conduct will have serious consequences.  People who commit this type of crime will be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

-Chief Will Benny

Malachi Jamel Ray (19) of Columbia, AL- Robbery 1st Degree, $60,000 bond
Dallas Bryce Porter (18) of Dothan- Robbery 1st Degree, $60,000 bond
Camron Deveon Jackson (18) of Dothan- Robbery 1st Degree, $60,000 bond

Investigation Started After Body Found in Vehicle Fire

(DOTHAN, Ala.) On May 26, 2025, just before 1:00 pm, Dothan Police and Dothan Fire Departments were dispatched to a vehicle on fire in the 3500 block of Napier Field Road near the intersection of John D. Odom Road.  Dothan firefighters quickly worked to extinguish the fire and discovered a body in the vehicle.  At this time, Dothan Police investigators and Dothan Fire Marshals are working together to determine the circumstances surrounding the fire and what may have caused it.  The victim will be sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences to provide an identity as well as the cause and manner of death.  This is an active, ongoing investigation.  If anyone has any information about this case, they are encouraged to call the Dothan Police Department or submit tips through Central Alabama Crimestoppers at 334-215-STOP or P3TIPS.com.

Person carrying replica destructive device arrested

On April 29, 2025, officers with the Dothan Police Department responded to the area of the 200 block of East Main Street after multiple citizens reported a person carrying a rocket propelled grenade launcher in the area.

Officers contacted the individual and identified him as Keyun Marquez Hill, 26, of Cowarts, Alabama. Hill was found in possession of a replica device made to resemble a rocket propelled grenade launcher. Hill was subsequently arrested and charged with one count of Possession of a Hoax Destructive Device and booked into the Dothan City Jail. The hoax device was seized and placed into evidence.

Hill described himself as a social media prankster and was in the process of filming content. Entertainment takes many forms, however behavior such as this that alarms numerous people and can cause panic in a public space cannot be tolerated. We urge social media content creators to use common sense when practicing their craft.

William E. Benny
Chief of Police

Dothan Man Charged After He Drives Off with Victim’s Child in Backseat

(DOTHAN, Ala.) On April 16, 2025, Dothan Police investigators charged Isaiah Jamal Turner (32 years old) of Dothan with Interference with Custody after driving off with the victim’s child in the back seat.  The charges stem from an altercation between Turner and the victim when Turner made sexual advances, which were unwanted and rejected.  The victim, feeling uncomfortable, asked Turner to stop the vehicle.  When the vehicle stopped in the 100 block of Westgate, the victim tried to get her child.  Turner locked the doors and drove away.  Turner has been charged with one count of Interference with Custody and placed in the Houston County Jail.

Dothan Police officers responded to a business in the 100 block of Westgate Parkway in reference to a disturbance.  Officer met with the victim and they told the officers they were riding with Turner to a doctor’s appointment.  Turner made sexual advances toward the victim, which she did not want.  After being rejected, the victim asked Turner to let them out of the vehicle.  After several requests, Turner stopped and the victim got out of the vehicle.  As the victim was trying to get a child out of the backseat, Turner locked the doors and drove away from the scene.  In phone calls to Turner, he refused to return the child.

As officers were taking information and preparing to issue alerts for the child, an officer noticed a vehicle looking like Turner’s at the Dothan City Jail.  The driver was identified as Turner and he had the child, who is under the age of two, in his vehicle.  Turner was taken into custody since he was in no way related to the child and had no legal basis for taking the child.  As a result, Turner was charged with Interference with Custody.  The child was reunited with the victim.

Isaiah Jamal Turner (32) of Dothan- Interference with Custody, $15,000 bond

Grace Bridges Murder Solved; Suspect in Custody after 15 years

(DOTHAN, Ala.) On March 17, 2010, Dothan Police Officers responded to Dedert’s Furniture Store at 966 South Park Avenue for reports of a person suffering a medical event.  When officers arrived, they realized the victim, who was identified as Grace Bell Bridges, was suffering from a single gunshot wound.  Tragically, Grace Bridges was pronounced deceased at the scene.  The investigation led investigators in 2010 to believe the motive was an attempted robbery that led to the death of Bridges.  Unfortunately, the case went unsolved for more than 15 years despite some promising leads.

No murder case that is unsolved is ever closed.  Cold cases are regularly reviewed as technology evolves and new investigators are assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division.  Investigators, armed with a fresh perspective, went over the evidence and reinterviewed witnesses as a part of the review for this case.  After the review, investigators felt they had enough evidence to seek an indictment of the person they believed was responsible for the crime.  In consultation with the District Attorney’s Office and District Attorney Russ Goodman, investigators presented their evidence to a Houston County Grand Jury.  On April 9, 2025, the Houston County Grand Jury returned an indictment on the suspect, a 32 year old male who was 17 at the time of the crime, for the murder of Grace Bridges.  The subject was taken into custody on the outstanding murder indictment on April 9, 2025 and placed in the Houston County Jail.  Since the offender was under 18 at the time of the crime, Alabama Juvenile Privacy laws prohibit releasing any other information.

While the case had gone unsolved, investigators never gave up in trying to identify Grace Bridges’ killer and bring them to justice.  It is our hope that Grace Bridges’ family can finally feel some semblance of peace knowing her killer has been identified and charged even though we know nothing can bring Grace back.  The unwavering determination of investigators in 2010 as well as the investigators who obtained the indictment is a testament to their relentless pursuit of justice to identify those responsible for the death of Grace Bridges and bring them to justice for her family.  Our thoughts are with Grace Bridges’ family as they move to the next chapter in their search for justice for Grace’s death.

The Dothan Police Department extends our deepest gratitude to the numerous witnesses who came forward from 2010 to 2025 and to Grace Bridges’ family for their steadfast commitment to justice and support of the Dothan Police Department.

-Chief Will Benny

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Juvenile Charged with Shooting at Dothan Police Officer and is in Custody

(DOTHAN, Ala.)  On April 2, 2025, just before 11:00 pm, Dothan Police Officers responded to reports of a subject with a firearm at the intersection of North Range Street and Alabama Avenue.  When officers arrived on scene, the subject matching the description given by the citizen who reported the incident started running from the scene.  As officers gave chase, the subject was joined by two other individuals.  One of the individuals pointed a firearm at the officer and fired a single round.  Fortunately, the officer was not struck and was unharmed.  All three suspects were able to escape that night despite K-9 officers attempting to track the subjects.

The Dothan Police Department Gun Unit was working on an unrelated case and responded to start the investigation.  During the course of the investigation, investigators were able to identify the person who pulled the trigger as a 15-year-old juvenile.  Investigators were able to develop enough probable cause the juvenile was responsible for the shooting and have charged the juvenile with one count of Attempted Assault 1st of a Peace Officer.  The juvenile was placed in the Southeast Alabama Diversion Center as the request of a Juvenile Probation Officer.

Due to Alabama’s juvenile privacy law, no further information can be released at this time.  The Dothan Police Department would like to thank the citizens who initially reported the incident as well as those who helped aid in the investigation.  Actions like these will not be tolerated in our community.  Whether someone is committing gun violence in the community or on a sworn law enforcement officer, the Dothan Police Department will find those who violate the law, who put citizens and officers in danger, and will fully hold them accountable according to the law.

 

Chief William E. Benny

 

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Missing person results in murder charge

On Monday night, February 24, 2025, Stephen Miller Sr. reported that his wife, Gloria Miller, suddenly disappeared from their home on Halls Mill Road during the afternoon hours of Saturday, February 22, 2025. The Dothan Police Department began investigating this report as a missing persons case.

During the early stages of the investigation several indicators of foul play were discovered. On Monday, before the report was made by Stephen, some of Gloria’s personal property was found in the parking lot of a local shopping center in Dothan. The investigation revealed Stephen was the person who placed the property at that location just hours before it was found and turned into one of the local businesses.

Investigators worked to determine the whereabouts of Gloria and the circumstances of her disappearance. During the investigation, Stephen admitted that on Saturday he and Gloria had a physical altercation during which time he admitted to manually strangling her until she was lifeless.

Investigators located Gloria’s body approximately one mile inside Geneva County on Geneva County Road 68 in a dry creek bed underneath a bridge. Her body has been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery, AL for an autopsy.

Stephen Craig Miller Sr., 64 years old of Dothan, has been charged with one count of Murder. His bond has been set at $1.5 Million.

The Dothan Police Department would like to thank the Houston County Sheriff’s Department, the Geneva County Sheriff’s Department and the Geneva County Coroner’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.

Our condolences and prayers go out to the family of Gloria Miller.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please reach out to your local law enforcement office or domestic violence resource center. In Dothan call 334-615-3000 for police, 334792-5314 for the House of Ruth or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or you can text “START” to 88788.

Chief William E. Benny
Dothan PD

Dothan Man Arrested for Shooting into Building While Out on Bond for Capital Murder

(DOTHAN, Ala.)  Just before 4:00 pm on February 18, 2025, Dothan Police Officers responded to reports of shots fired in the 700 block of Tuskegee Avenue.  After getting a description of the suspect from several witnesses to the event, Patrol Officers saw a male matching the description running from the area.  Officers gave chase and apprehended and identified the suspect as Tyshawn Ford.  Officers confirmed with several witnesses as well as a video that circulated on social media that Ford was the suspect in the shooting.  During the shooting, an occupied apartment was struck by gunfire.

Ford was on bond for Capital Murder from a previous incident which was investigated by the Houston County Sheriff’s Department.  Ford was charged for Tuesday’s event with Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Building, Attempted Assault 1st degree, Domestic Violence 3rd Degree, and Fleeing and Attempting to Elude a Law Enforcement Officer.  Ford is being held without bond in the Houston County Jail and a revocation on his bond for the Murder charge is expected.  More arrests are anticipated as the investigation into the shooting incident on Tuskegee Ave. continues.

The Dothan Police Department will strongly advocate for swift accountability for these actions according to the law.  Bonds and bond amounts are a matter of law left to the courts to decide, not the arresting agencies.  Our Judges work within a framework that is consistent with the Constitution of Alabama to set bonds for those accused and remove bonds for those who pose an immediate threat to the community.  Thank you to our social media investigative team and our members of the community who reject this type of behavior and aided in this investigation.

Chief William E. Benny

Tyshawn Deanthony Ford (20) of Dothan- Discharging Firearm into Occupied Building, Attempted Assault 1st, Domestic Violence 3rd, and Attempting to Elude a Law Enforcement Officer, No Bond
Still Photo from Video of Incident

CALEA Accreditation Public Comment Portal

If you have comments regarding the Dothan Police Department’s CALEA Accreditation and would like to provide information to CALEA, there is an Accreditation Public Comment Portal located at http://cimrs2.calea.org/857.

The purpose of this public portal is to receive comments regarding an agency’s compliance with CALEA standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accredited status. These comments can be in the form of commendations or concerns. The overall intent of the accreditation process is to provide the participating agency with information to support continuous improvement, as well as foster the pursuit of professional excellence.

IMPORTANT: CALEA is not an investigatory body and subsequently the public portal should not be used to submit information for such purposes. Additionally, there will be no response other than acknowledgement to submissions; however, the information will be considered in context to its relevancy to compliance with standards and the tenets of CALEA® Accreditation.

I appreciate your support for our agency in maintaining the gold standard of professionalism in public safety.

William E. Benny
Chief of Police

Man Arrested After He Abducts Female; Hotel Employees Intervene

(DOTHAN, Ala.) On January 26, 2025, Dothan Police Investigators arrested Stephen Spencer Ayers (46) with Kidnapping 1st degree and Sexual Abuse 1st degree after an incident at a local motel in the 2100 block of Ross Clark Circle.  Investigators say Ayers, who was a resident at the hotel, inappropriately touched the victim, who is under the age of 18, before forcefully taking her into his hotel room.  Fortunately, hotel housekeepers saw the incident, acted quickly, and removed the victim from the room before calling police.  Ayers is being held without bond at the Houston County Jail.

Just after 1:00 pm on Sunday, Dothan Police were requested to respond to a possible kidnapping at a hotel in the 2100 block of Ross Clark Circle.  When officers arrived, employees told officers about the incident where a white male forced a female into a hotel room.  They intervened and removed the female, who was a juvenile under the age of 18.  Officers attempted to make contact with the suspect, but he fled on foot on the second floor of the hotel.  Officers were able to quickly surround him and take him into custody.  They identified the suspect as Stephen Ayers.

It was discovered, after speaking with the victim, that Ayers had made sexual advances toward the victim, which she refused.  Ayers then touched the victim inappropriately, and the victim tried to leave the area.  Ayers then grabbed the victim from behind and forced her into a hotel room.

Stephen Ayers was arrested and charged with Kidnapping 1st degree and Sexual Abuse 1st degree.  Ayers was transported to the Houston County Jail with no bond.

Crimes like these will not be tolerated. The Dothan Police Department will hold those who commit these crimes accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

– Chief William E. Benny

 

 

Stephen Ayers (46) of Dothan- Kidnapping 1st and Sexual Abuse 1st, No bond
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