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Suspect Charged In Ax-Wielding Home Invasion Of Elderly Woman
January 28, 2011
Multiple charges have been filed against a man in connection with the ax-wielding home invasion of an 85-year old woman Thursday afternoon.
Fred Clay Reed, 42, of Bessemer, Ala., was charged with first degree burglary, first degree robbery and second degree theft of property, according to Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Grover Smith.
The incident began about 1:30 p.m. on Godwin Road just west of Flomaton. Authorities said Reed broke into the woman’s isolated home and threatened her with the ax while demanding money. After a brief struggle, the elderly woman was able to break free. Reed fled the scene into a nearby wooded area.
The woman was not seriously injured.
K-9 units from the Century Correctional Institution and the Alabama Department of Corrections joined officers from several law enforcement agencies in searching for the suspect. About 3 p.m., a man matching the suspect’s description attempted to force a log truck to stop on Highway 31. When he was unable to get into the log truck, he reportedly ran south from Highway 31. The log truck driver and passing motorist alerted deputies, who quickly apprehended Reed on Old Atmore Road.
Smith said K-9 officers were able to recover the woman’s purse which contained an undisclosed amount of money.
The Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriffs’ Office, Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office, Flomaton Police Department, Poarch Creek Police Department, Atmore Police Department and District Attorney’s Office Investigators all took part in the manhunt.
“The Escambia County SO would like to thank the public for their assistance and quick response in the apprehension of this convicted felon,” Sheriff Smith said. “The suspect was a convicted felon, with an extensive past criminal history and had recently been released from prison in 2008.”
Godwin Road is a narrow dirt road about three miles west of Flomaton, not far from the intersection of Old Atmore Road and Highway 31 and just north of Alabama/Florida line.
Pictured top: Officers Fred Clay Reed Thursday afternoon in an Alabama home invasion. Pictured inset: Authorities investigate a Thursday home invasion. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
33 Responses to “Suspect Charged In Ax-Wielding Home Invasion Of Elderly Woman”
I did notice one amusing thing about this whole episode.
This 42 year old young man with an ax broke into an 85 year old WOMAN’S
home and struggled with her and SHE GOT AWAY AND HE GOT CAUGHT
AND WENT TO JAIL.
WIMP, LOSER, JAILBIRD! TOO BAD SHE DIDN’T JUST BEAT THE MESS
OUT OF YOU.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Oops – that should have read “keep it at hand”
I agree with PolythenePam – get a gun, get trained and confident in it’s use (an NRA gun safety course is a good idea), and keep it at had when you are at home.
Anyone entering your home by criminal use of force (unless they are Law Enforcement lawfully engaged in their duties) has forfeited his right to Life. They have already demonstrated their intent to harm those inside – in this case that fellow had an axe and terrorized an elderly woman. The people inside of the house that is being broken into have a lawful right to use lethal force to defend themselves.
Get a gun – get trained – defend your self.
Thugs do not respect the Law, but they respect Mr. Colt, Mr. Smith & Wesson, and Mr. Remington. A 12 gauge or a .45 beats an axe every time.
Well I hope he goes away for good as a career criminal, but I thought these
charges were kind of lame.
He entered an elderly ladies home with a weapon and she had to struggle with
him (it says so).
As far as I’m concerned thats attempted murder. What else are you going to
do with an ax cut off her fingers?
WHY ARE THE CHARGES SO SMALL?
The bleeding hearts who want to protect the criminals is the reason people like this scum bag is free to rob and kill.
” putting him away” don’t you people realize that doesn’t work?? do you not read of these incident every day. For pete’s sake, he took an axe to an elderly woman . These people ARE criminals. its what they do. there is no rehabilitation. we need to start executing violent careeer criminals. as a judge i would have NO problem handing down a death sentence. And because just such as that is no done, our country is overrun with just such garbage as this guy.
Not that it makes a difference WHO someone breaks in on..but honestly?! You are some kind of SORRY man that will break in on an elderly lady and try to do harm…I know that no harm was done physically…but I am sure this man left an emotional scar on that poor lady. I pray that she can have peace of mind.
David Preston for County Commissioner!
Apparently this guy had ties to Baldwin County with an x-wife who lives there. He also has an extensive criminal history. This will send him away for good!!
I notice it says he’s from Bessemer. I wonder if he got out of Fountain Prison and decided he would stay in the area instead of going home?
He will look good in FLOURESCENT ORANGE…for 8-10 years anyway
He kinda looks like Keith Urban. lol
Does anyone know if this subject was a transient or did he live around the area. He has an extensive history in Baldwin County on drug charges per the Sheriff’s website. I would like this information to be provided to the public if he lived locally or was just passing through. Prayers are with the family.
Wasp spray for self defense is a bad idea. It is a myth! Stick with the Pepper Spray. Wasp spray is unproven and has never been tested on humans. Wasp Spray will NOT work on those who cannot feel pain i.e. drugs or alcohol. Pepper Spray is an inflammatory which will cause the eyes to slam shut no matter the situation. That’s why over 40,000 law enforcement agencies carry it nationwide and even the smallest canisters will fire 10 ft while the larger will canisters will fire 25 to 30 ft.
I know firsthand that putting a big screen TV box on the curb and laying in wait does not work. You’ll have to figure out another way to lure the criminals onto your property.
Most likely another case of crack or something like it. You would have to be crazy to do something like that. I agree with who ever said Smith and Wesson can cure that problem real quick like for you. This is exactly why if everone had a gun in their residence you would not have people trying to break in on you and harm you. If they know your armed they are going to think twice before attempting it. Of course even if you took all the guns away from people the criminals would still get them.
Oh and did this man cross a state line?
If it federal then? We sure don’t want him going to no federal tennis
playing prison. Hard time or a rope sounds good to me
Certainly thanks to everyone for getting this creep off the streets.
Sounds like someone they need to lock up permenantly and
then throw away the key.
Doesn’t this also come under the new laws of abuse of the elderly?
I would think there are a slew of charges you can hit this creep with
so he doesn’t see the light of day again.
This is two days in a row somebody attacked an elderly woman.
Wasn’t that just yesterday someone was car jacked or something.
I’m so sick of these creeps I almost agree with the one who said
something about “get a rope”,
I think they should let the lady pull a LIZZIE BORDEN.
>>And the news needs to get story straight . J . R. Godwin was followng the man when the law was called and told where he was.
We can only report what we are told by authorities.
Perhaps Mr. Godwin saw the suspect about the time the log truck driver reported him. Either way, we sure want Mr. Godwin to get the credit he rightfully deserves Mr. Godwin for aiding in his capture.
You think you know what to do but when your the victum it all happens so fast you dont think. This person that did this it aint his first brush with the law. Lets just pray the law does the right thing and puts him away for a long while not a slp on the wrist and a fine. And the news needs to get story straight . J . R. Godwin was followng the man when the law was called and told where he was. Give credit to the community for the help.
I live at the end of a dirt road with no other houses in sight. I have two noisy dogs and they alert me to the presence of any visitor long before I’d know it otherwise. I also have an S & W .38 Chief’s Special that I’ve had for 25 years now. When somebody comes to my door, that gun is always tucked into my waistband behind my back. It doesn’t matter who they are, whether or not I know them, the reaction is the same. Unless it’s a close relative, they’d better stay back and not make any sudden movements unless they want to be looking down the barrel of my gun.
I’ve never pulled it on my Momma. I guess that’s one good thing you can say about me.
Lady’s,get you a couple cans of wasp
spray.It will spray about 15/20 feet.
Put one near the front door and one
near the back door.You can bet that
when that spray hits him his day is over.Then call 911 and they will do the rest.
Very glad to see that the suspect is in custody. Glad also that the lady was not injured. Guess it’s time to brush up on my shooting. A guy with an ax is a real danger.
i am from century.but live in mobile now.from the pictures i think i no this person that lives in that home.if it is who i am thinkin about she would help you in anyway possible.goes to show some people just need to be took out back with a tall pine tree and a short rope.i hope the suspect in tis case does not have the same judge my ex did or he will be out of jail in a week
wow an ax for a home invasion dude needs to get a life i’m sorry but you just go around killing random people. hopefully he learns something in prison to make him stop
Lord help the one that invades me and my house.
I hope he has very good, detailed dental records, because when I get done with him, that will be the only way to Identify the dummy!
Every women need to invest in a gun….
It is getting scary out this way. People are always walking miles out of town carrying beer or whiskey, people aking to use your phone then stealing from you. Pedigree dogs are being stolen and sold. People are knocking on doors and then misidentifying themselves in order to scope things out. It has just started getting like this really bad in the last three or four months. One will even be carrying children and saying they are hungry, it is all a ploy. Glad this one is gone, hope they pin him with it, and thankful that she is ok.
Too bad she didnt blow him out of his boots!
The lady involved here is a very sweet elderly lady. I agree it is a shame that this happened to her. There was a higher power watching over her because she was not hurt, raped, or killed.
Thanks to swift response of the police force and neighbors the suspect was quickly captured. It restores my faith a lillte in the police force for such a rapid capture.
Learn to shoot, take lessons, don’t be paranoid, be confident!
I swear is it just not safe for a women to stay home alone any more , I know the area i live out here its nothing but woods but , ‘ maybe if the cops would think about driving threw alittle more out here people would think twice about breaking in on women the way they do . How many women is it now that have been done this way or worse .