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Arrest Made In Alabama Murder Of Century Native
January 6, 2020
An arrest has been made the murder of a Century man who was shot and killed December 30 in rural Alabama about 20 miles south of Auburn.
Deontra Jones, 20, confessed to the murder of 63-year old Randolph Cannon, according to Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor said.
Jones was with a female in a vehicle parked on Shady Grove Lane, a lonely, rural dirt road in Hurtsboro, Alabama when Cannon was out walking his dog.
“This was a random situation,” Taylor said. Cannon, who owns the property on both sides of the road, walked up the pair in the vehicle. “He was questioning them about being there, about trespassing and that type of situation. Mr. Jones got out and started shooting at him. He ran, and he he chased him down the road. He ultimately shot him multiple times, killing him.”
The female has not been charged, Taylor said, because authorities do not believe she had anything to do with the shooting.
Family members tell NorthEscambia.com that Cannon is a native of Century and lived in Bogia for several years. He attended Century HIgh School.
The investigation is continuing.
Pictured to: Robert Cannon. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
43 Responses to “Arrest Made In Alabama Murder Of Century Native”
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Dutch the difference is If I’m going to start a argument over something that gets me killed I at least want to be right about it. that in know way excuses jones for shooting
Mr. Cannon
What difference does it make whether it is a public road or not. This thug murdered this man. Period. As long as the people and media continue to glorify and sensationalize these animals, its going to get nothing but worse. The murderer should be executed painfully, swiftly and with a public audience.
I know that Rasheed, I was just pointing out that Mr. Jones wasn’t riding around shooting old people for walking there dogs. They got into a violent argument over weather or not Mr. jones had the right to be on shady grove lane. He did. But like I’ve said several times that did not give him the right to shoot Mr. Cannon . Sometimes if someone is not bothering you the best thing to do is leave them alone. if Mr. cannon would have just kept walking his dogs the whole tragedy would not have happened, you know that whole thing about minding your own business , works every time.
@ jason,
You are correct in your assertion but that right to park on the road does not give you the right to kill a person that walks up to your car, on a public road, as you have, so many times, pointed out. You are defending a murderer plain and simple.
Gerald google Russell County property records put in Shady Grove
Lane and you will see that Shady Grove Lane is a public road. if the state wanted to they could pave it tomarrow. Alot of people wish the road they live on was private, but Shady Grove lane is not. If i want to park on the side of it today i can, You can any body can. Its just as leagle as parking beside hwy 29
why cant the shooter have the same thing done to him…that would be real justice in the courts…but looks like all the rest..he will get a bed..food…recreation time..and medical care….and released back to society to commit more crime…something sticks about the way he take care such good care of the criminals and the only real person who gets punished in crime is the victim…….i need help to understand.
Murder is Murder, don’t care how you look at it…
To all you people commenting that it was a public road, being from northwest Florida or southern Alabama, we know the difference between a “public dirt road” and a lane that is nothing more than a trail. There’s a couple of pictures of Mr. Cannon on walking on this “road” posted on the internet that make it obvious that it’s not a “public road” and looks more like a old, abandoned driveway. Y’all can make every excuse for the murderer having a “right to be there” when it’s obvious that he was trespassing. Instead of trying to justify the murder, why don’t y’all wait for the news conference that’s coming up with new facts that y’all aren’t aware of. The immediate family information that they can’t release that’ll change public opinion.
Come on people, just because it’s 2 people of different races, doesn’t make it a hate crime.
to James Simpson. If you see a couple parked on a lonely rural dirt road . Don’t be a creep . They are there for privacy weather they are arguing, talking, rolling a blunt or just having a private conversation they obviously don’t want company. Sheriff Taylor said in his press conference that Mr. Cannon was as he put it “Questioning them about there right to be there” trespassing and that sort of thing” that’s not a consensual encounter. that’s starting a argument with a couple who obviously want to be alone. I’m not saying that gave Jones the right to shoot him.
Pencil, there is no resemblance to this and the Trayvon Martin case.
What many of you are failing to understand is that if the road was public property, which is still in question, the same right that Jones would have had to be there, Canon would have had as well. Anyone can approach anyone else and begin a consensual encounter. None of that is illegal.
Now, for the sake of argument, let’s say Canon walked up to Jones and immediately started yelling at him, cursing him, and even calling Jones racist terms. None of that hypothetical situation would allow Jones to use deadly force against Canon.
If Canon produced a weapon out of fear, which has not been reported anywhere, he could only use deadly force to the extent it would be reasonably necessary to stop an imminent threat of severe bodily injury or death, neither of which does it appear Canon posed to Jones.
Even if the initial production of a firearm would have been legally permissible, when Jones chased after Canon and fired into a defenseless person he committed premeditated homicide. Murder in cold blood.
Jones is not a person deserving of a general defense in public forum. He’ll have a defense afforded him in court should he choose to contest the charges, just as he’s constitutionally guaranteed. Remember that though he is “presumed innocent until proven guilty”, the man has admitted to the elements of the crime charged, and common sense would dictate that Jones deserves no sympathy, or excuses.
More people have been conditioned to be Offended by anyone over anything..
They are walking around with a big chip on their shoulder, feeling they area Victim.. So they Justify any action they take. They are out looking for a fight.
Basically they are Angry at life and looking for someone to blame.
They are little more than Rabid Dogs. Beware.
This is an interesting discussion.
I am totally against the idea that an unarmed man (even accompanied by a dog) could pose a great enough threat to justify deadly force however I would love to know how many of YOU were supporting George Zimmerman shooting Trayvon Martin. But for a few facts reversed, this is essentially the same case . . . . . same scenario with a different result.
I don’t necessarily believe this was a hate crime but if how you view both cases depends on the color of the victim and not the same circumstances, you are part of the problem.
I send my sympathies and prayers to the family of the victim.
Amanda,
You could use spell check too.
I never said Mr. jones had a right to chase down and kill Mr. Cannon. He should have called the law and complained that Mr. Cannon was impeding his use of a right of way. The police would have warned Mr. Cannon not to stop or harass any one using the easement an they both would be at home tonight
To all the people who say they would have just shot jones. You cant start a confrontation with some one shoot them and then clam self defense . It doesn’t work that way. My advice is if u see some one on a road, right of way or easement and there not bothering you let them alone. There is a lot to be said for minding your own business
I never said Mr. jones was in the right to chase down and kill Mr. Cannon. He should have called law enforcement an complained that Mr. Cannon was impeding his use of a right of way. Normally the cops would have warned Mr Cannon not to stop or harass anyone using the right of way and it would have been over. both would be sleeping at home tonight . by the way there are other land owners on both shady grove lane and shady grove road. [ the lane turns off the road]
To Jason- you have many problems. First of all you should probably work on your spelling. Secondly, you should probably visit a psychiatrist ASAP because your way of thinking is very messed up. Regardless of if this was a private or public road and Mr Cannon asked why they were there this in no way justifies taking someone’s life! The murderer is going right where he belongs.
To Mr. Cannons family- I’m very sorry for your loss. Praying for you.
Let the legal system do their job
To those debating the road or where they were setting…….
Stop defending that monsters actions.
Being told to move on or get out of the area is no reason to pull a gun out and run a person down shooting them to death.
What happened was a coward with no spine was confronted about his location and instead of just moving on ORRRRRRR calling the Sheriff Office which would have solved BOTH sides of the case.
Justify this monsters actions and you doom us all.
To Jason, you don’t know all the details. Shady Grove Lane is located on Mr. Cannon’s property. The road is not a “public road” but an county easement. The “lane” wasn’t maintained by the county as you would expect by grading and such. The perpetrator was trespassing regardless of what you may think. We only have one side of the story as to what happened. All we know for sure was that Mr. Cannon was murdered on his property and we can only assume everything else.
Why is there an argument here about where the car was parked. There is absolutely -0- justification for shooting a man multiple times and killing him because he approached you to ask what you are doing? HELLO…
I’d just like to say I’m sorry for the family and if i’m wrong about jones being on a public road I got it from the shariff . He needs to quit telling the media that jones and his girl where parked on Shady Grove lane. Instead he should say they where parked on Mr Cannons private property if indeed thats where they where. To me theres a big differace between parked on shady grove lane which is your own business and parked on private property off of shady grove lane which is of course not leagle without the land owners permission
I don’t know what paper y’all been reading but from what the shariff said. The coupel was on shaddy grove lane a puplic county maintained dirt road just like the one in front of my house an yes I own the property beside it but i have no right to ask any one what there doing,where there going or anything else. If I did im sure it would start an argument as no one wants a stranger gitting in there busneiss.
This is my dad . I hope justice is served for my dad so he can rest in peace . It doesnt help the fact that this man regardless killed my dad and made sure he was dead . Over something so stupid he could left the property and this man wouldn’t have destroyed two lives , my dads and his own .
Jason,
Where does it say he started an argument?
“He was questioning them about being there…”
not arguing with him.
It’s a Tragedy!! I realize it was private property but these days you can’t argue with anyone…too many folks carrying guns & life means Nothing to them.
Rest In Peace. Amen
Back in my day we handled this no law involved!!! Ran this man down and knew he was going to kill this man and for what?? A leech mob would have been called out on this. That female should be in jail to I mean she seen and heard it all. So I guess he killed this man because he approached a park vehicle with them inside and ON HIS PROPERTY “Jones” probably was fixing to kill her and got interpreted. This is sick and down right outrageous
@Jason – this was private property, owned by the victim. He had every right to question the couple as to why they were on his land. So, he was “minding his own business”.
#molino mom. I didn’t read where he was on private property. The news reports i’ve seen said he was parked with his girl friend on Shady Grove Lane, minding his own business when Mr. Cannon came up to him and started a argument. Just becouse you own the land beside the road dosent mean you have the right to Question people who use it.
A quick search on Google Earth shows Shady Grove Lane as nothing but a dirt/sand road that cuts through the property owned by Mr. Cannon. It looks to be nothing more than a very long driveway to his home. No wonder he questioned them. I would have done the same thing.
Dont reason with them.
take photo at a distance
Call the cops
Jason, then you might get shot.
Racially motivated hate crime
In these days and time…. It never pays to confront anyone you don’t know about anything….. unless you are prepared NOW AT THAT MOMENT to defend yourself regardless of the situation and location.
“Above all else, be armed!”
Niccolo Machiavelli
Wow! Shot and killed this man for absolutely no reason. God forbid for someone to question Mr. Jones as to why they were on his private property. Prayers to his friends and family who have to endure this senseless loss. As for Mr. Jones, you’re going right where you need to be – prison.
I’m not justifying what Jones did but If I was on a public road with my girlfriend an some one walked up and started bothering me. I would tell him to “mind his own business”. If he kept trying to question me he might get slapped.
folks need to get their ccw permit and carry. even own your own property you are apt to be faced with criminals.
Will he be charged with a hate crime also? Did the girl turn him in? If not, she should be charged as well.
I wish public hanging was back.he deserves it an to suffer