A suspect facing capital murder charges for the shooting death of a Dothan man more than 30 years ago will have several attorneys representing him free of charge.
Dothan police announced last year that investigators had filed charges in a 30-year-old cold case homicide.
Court records indicate authorities recently arrested the suspect, 58-year-old Nathaniel Dennis, on a two-count capital murder indictment. Court records indicate Daniel is being held at the Houston County Jail without bail.
Dothan police charged Dennis in the murder of Earnest Russell Douglas. At the age of 45, Douglas was shot at the Northview Amoco Station at 3033 Reeves Street on Sept. 26, 1981. Benton said Douglas died from his injuries on Oct. 7, 1981.
The indictment charges Dennis with using a gun to shoot Douglas to death during the robbery of the Amoco. The second charge alleges Dennis used a gun to shoot Douglas to death during a burglary.
Dothan attorney Eric Davis said he will be representing Dennis free of charge, or pro bono, along with a couple of attorneys from a law firm in Washington D.C. Davis declined to name his co-counsel.
Dothan Police Chief Greg Benton said last year that the indictment was the result of investigators receiving a hit in a national DNA database.
Dothan Police Sgt. Will Glover said a hit in the Convicted Offender DNA Index System helped identify Dennis as a potential suspect. Benton said police learned Dennis was already serving a prison sentence in Virginia.
Court records indicate a tentative trial date has been set for May in front of Circuit Court Judge Brad Mendheim.
Benton said investigators traveled to Sussex County in Virginia to interview Dennis. Investigators received results from the state Department of Forensic Sciences that indicated a match with Dennis’ DNA to evidence collected from the crime scene in the murder. Benton and Glover did not identify the evidence tested that linked Dennis to the murder.
Glover said Dennis was serving a 634-year prison sentence for attempted murder and robbery in Virginia.
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