‘Mommy and daddy are asleep. They’re covered in blood.’: Barefoot little boy reportedly alerted passerby to murdered parents in home

An Alabama court heard testimony about a barefoot 5-year-old boy who was wandering outside when he alerted a woman to his murdered parents inside their mobile home.

According to court testimony, the child asked the woman if he could go home with her, saying, “Mommy and daddy are asleep. They’re covered in blood.”

AL.com reported that Shawntia Jackson, 22, and Dajun Hardy-Sellers, 24, were found shot to death in their Huntsville home on September 21. Their 1-year-old baby was reportedly found nearby, crying on a couch.

Police said Jackson suffered gunshot wounds to the mouth, stomach, leg, and arm while Hardy was shot once in the head.

Two judges determined this week that there’s enough evidence against the three suspects—Caleb Bruce, Carolyn Phillips, and Tyree Castile—for prosecutors to charge them with capital murder. Bruce and Phillips, who are boyfriend and girlfriend, were juveniles at the time of the shooting, according to the outlet.

Huntsville police investigator Julian Johnson testified that neighbors heard gunshots on the night in question and one witness spotted a white SUV speed away from the scene shortly after the shootings.

An anonymous tip led police to Castile, 22, (pictured) who allegedly denied any involvement and reported his gun stolen the morning of September 22. Johnson said he showed Castile a picture of Hardy’s body, prompting him to admit his involvement and implicate Bruce and Phillips in the murders, according to the report.

Authorities indicated that the fatal encounter occurred weeks after Bruce was robbed during an attempted drug purchase at Hardy-Sellers’ home, suggesting a possible motive.

The night of the murder, Bruce and Philips attended a party at Castile’s home, where Phillips reportedly asked Castile if he would go with her and Bruce to buy marijuana from Hardy-Sellers. Once there, Bruce allegedly asked Castile for his gun and entered the mobile home as Phillips and Castile waited in the car.

Authorities said the pair heard a series of pops followed by Bruce returning to the car. Castile realized a murder had occurred after Bruce asked him to go into the home, to which he obliged, according to testimony.

Castile and Bruce reportedly fled the scene on foot while Phillips took off in a vehicle. AL.com reported Bruce told investigators that he killed Hardy-Sellers because he thought he reaching for a gun. He allegedly claimed he fatally shot Jackson because she threatened to kill him for killing Hardy-Sellers.

The case will be presented to a grand jury, who will officially determine what charges the trio will face.

 

[Featured image: Tyree Castile/Handout]