GILBERTOWN, Ala. — A man has been arrested and charged with murder following an October 25 shooting in Choctaw County, Alabama, that left one person dead.
According to Choctaw County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a shooting on Melvin Road near Gilbertown on October 25, 2026. When officers arrived, they found one individual deceased from multiple gunshot wounds.
Chief Investigator Matthew Stephens led the investigation with assistance from the First Judicial Circuit Major Crimes Task Force. Investigators gathered evidence and conducted witness interviews, which led them to identify Johnathan Manuel, also known as “JD,” as a suspect.
On Monday, November 2, Manuel was charged with murder. He was taken into custody in Clarke County with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force.
The Choctaw County Sheriff's Office thanked the First Judicial Circuit Major Crimes Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force for their assistance in the investigation.
The investigation remains ongoing. Manuel is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.