Family Mourns Murder Victim; Seeks Help With Funeral Expenses
September 26, 2009
The Thursday night shooting death of Kenny Porter has left friends and family members in state of shock, and they are also wondering how they are going to pay for the 32-year old’s funeral.
Porter’s wife Liz Porter is pregnant his first child, which is due any day. The baby girl will be named Kennedy in honor of her now-deceased father. She says she does not know how she is going to support the baby or her other three children.
Janice Rolin said the entire incident started with an argument over a ladder between her mother, Lorraine Gray, Clarence Luker and Kenny Porter, who was her brother-in-law.
“Then the next thing I knew, Clarence had a gun when he got out of the van and he was shooting and Kenny with all these kids out here,” Rolin said. “He just jumped out of the van and pointed the gun right at Kenny. Then he went to shooting. I was scared for the kids.” She tried her best to get the children away from scene as fast as possible as Porter collapsed on the porch of a mobile home, she said.
Porter was transported to Atmore Community Hospital by ambulance and then transferred by helicopter to the USA Medical Center in Mobile. That’s where he was pronounced dead.
After Luker was captured, he admitted to Escambia County (Ala.) deputies that he was the shooter. But in a bizarre twist to the story, Gray told deputies that she was the one that shot Porter, and that the argument involved a rake.
“I shot him,” Gray told Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Grover Smith at the scene Thursday night. “I’m the one that did it….I took the gun and I shot him.”
Both Gray and Luker (pictured left) are in the Escambia County (Ala.) Jail charged with open counts of murder.
And now family members say they need help from the community to pay for Porter’s funeral. Visitation is scheduled for 6 to 9 Monday night at Petty Eastside Chapel in Atmore. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Fretwell Tabernacle Holiness Church. Burial will be in the Bankster Cemetery in Spanish Fort, Ala.
Person interesting in helping the family with funeral expenses can make their donations at Petty Eastside Chapel, 9260 Hwy 31, Atmore, AL 36502; or call the funeral home at (251) 368-4540.
For the Friday morning story about the shooting from NorthEscambia.com, click here.
Click here for an exclusive NorthEsambia.com photo gallery from the arrest of Luker and Gray.
Click here for the full obituary for Kenny Porter.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Canes Blow Over Central 60-14
September 26, 2009
There was a Category 5 hurricane in Flomaton Friday night, as the ‘Canes blew past Central-Hayneville 60-14.
The Hurricanes were coming off a loss last week to number one Leroy, and they were not going to be stopped this Friday night.
Ryheem Dixon stormed in from 12 yards out to put the Hurricanes on the board early 7-0. An impressive Jacob Newton fake and toss to Ta Ta Ellis put the Hurricanes up 14-0. Then the Cane’s were up 21-0 with a 70 yard punt return by Civonta Mitchell. And they were just getting started.
Wesley Steadham was in on touchdown runs of 62 and 10 yards. In all, he had just three carries for 114 total yards. He was out-distanced by James Jackson on eight carries, including an 11-yard TD.
Other touchdowns included A.J. Odom with a 17-yarder and a four-yard run from Shay Gipson.
Overall, the Hurricanes picked up 237 yards on the ground Friday night against Central.
The Flomaton Hurricanes will be on the road next week against Mobile Christian.
Pace Beats Tate Aggies 28-14
September 26, 2009
The Pace Patriots and the Tate Aggies were both 2-2 heading into Friday night’s showdown at Pete Gindl Stadium. When it was over, the Patriots added one to the their win column with a 28 to 14 win over the Aggies.
The Patriots jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with a 29-yard field goal from Greg Peranich with 10:30 on the clock in the first quarter. Then with 1:37 to go in the first, Tyler Hunt added at Pace touchdown and Peranich’s kick was good to put the Patriots up 10-0.
The Aggies answered in the second with a touchdown on a 24-yard pass from senior quarterback Edwin Richburg to senior defensive back Petey Jones. After a good kick from senior kicker Black Chicheskie, the lead for the Patriots was cut to 13-7.
The last thee minutes of the third saw both teams scoring. The Aggies gained a 14-13 lead with Richburg taking it in from one yard out and a good kick from Cicheskie with 2:52 to go in the third.
But the Aggies lead was short-lived — 14 seconds to be exact — with Thomas McCorvey on a 91 yard kickoff return. A good Patriot kick, and Pace was back on top 20-14.
The Patriots were not done; a one-yard run by Tanner Nichols on a Josh Reeves Pass added more to the Pace bottom line.
That was the end of the night’s scoring, with the Pace Patriots downing the Tate Aggies 28-14.
Next week is homecoming for the Aggies against Pensacola Catholic.
Escambia County Loses; Escambia Academy A Winner
September 26, 2009
Baldwin County High School beat Atmore’s Escambia County High School 20-6 Friday night.
The Blue Devils jumped out to an early 6-0 lead on a 40-yard pass from Derrick Williams to Marshall Roland. But it will be the only points on the board for ECHS the entire night. The Blue Devils will host LeFlore High next week.
Escambia Academy rolled over Wilcox Academy 30-8 Friday night. The Cougars will be in action next Friday night against Marengo.
Nokomis Shooting Press Release
September 25, 2009
The following is the unedited press release issued by this morning by the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department concerning a murder in Nokomis, Ala.
At approximately 7:20PM dispatch received a call of shots fired on Nathan Rd in the Nokomis area. Atmore ambulance, Nokomis Fire Department and Deputies were dispatched and arrived to find Kenneth Portor with a gunshot wound. Portor was treated on scene and transported to Atmore Community Hospital where he was treated and transferred by Life flight to USA in Mobile, Al. Portor underwent surgery but due to the extent of his injuries he was pronounced dead at 9:20PM.
Witnesses stated two suspects, Clarence Luker and Lorraine Gray, had an altercation with the victim. The argument pursued and the victim was shot. Both suspects then fled the scene.
Witnesses gave a description of the suspect’s vehicle and Bolo’s were issued to all surrounding agencies for the vehicle and suspects. After officers finished processing the scene and left, a short while later at approx. 10:40PM, William with Northescambia.com (internet newspaper) drove up to take photos of the scene and spotted the alleged vehicle that had returned to the scene. He then notified the S.O. After the female was in custody, the dog teams from Al and Fl arrived. Shortly after their arrival the male was located by Inv Adam Johnson while the dogs were tracking. The male suspect was taken into custody without incident.
Both suspects admitted to shooting the victim. The case is under investigation. Both suspects are in custody at the detention center with an open count of Murder each. At the time of this press release both suspects are awaiting bond setting.
NorthEscambia.com Finds Nokomis Murder Suspects; Both Behind Bars (EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS)
September 25, 2009
Two murder suspects were captured Thursday night after NorthEscambia.com spotted their getaway van returning to the scene of the crime in Nokomis, Ala.
The suspects, Clarence Luker, 37, and Lorraine Gray, 50, are in the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center, each charged with open counts of murder.
Kenneth Porter, 32, was shot about 7:10 p.m. after a dispute with his neighbors at a trailer park on Nathan Road, about a mile north of Highway 31 in Nokomis. Porter was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital. He was later transferred to the USA Medical Center in Mobile by LifeFlight helicopter. He was pronounced dead from his injuries about 9:20 p.m., according to Mike Lambeth, chief deputy of the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department.
The suspects, Luker and Gray, fled the scene in a late 1980’s two-tone Ford Econoline van. Law enforcement agencies from Alabama and Florida were on the lookout for the van.
When NorthEscambia.com arrived at the murder scene about 10:40 pm. to take a picture of the trailers were the incident occurred, all law enforcement personnel had been gone from the scene just a short period of time. After our photos were taken, NorthEscambia.com spotted the alleged getaway vehicle around the corner from the murder location, headed toward the murder scene.
Nathan Road is a horseshoe-shaped road that intersects James Road in two locations. We parked on James Road where it was possible to see both ends of Nathan Road, and then we called Chief Deputy Mike Lambeth on his cell phone to tell him what we had observed. He immediately had several officers make an emergency response to our location.
When the first deputies arrived on Nathan Road about 10 minutes later, they found Gray, the female suspect, in the van parked at the murder scenes. Deputies said she exited the van with her hands up and said “I’m the one you are looking for”.
She was taken into custody just before 11 p.m. and placed in the back of a patrol car. NorthEscambia.com was there as she made a complete confession to Sheriff Grover Smith, telling him that she shot Porter.
“I shot him,” she said. “I’m the one that did it….I took the gun and I shot him.”
Tracking dogs from Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore and the Century Correctional Institution were called to the scene to search for Luker. As the dogs began their search of the area, Luker was taken into custody about midnight near the intersection of Nathan and James Roads. His clothes were splattered with blood. Luker also admitted to deputies that he was the shooter.
Investigators searched the van for the murder weapon, but they were unable to locate it in the vehicle, which they termed as being “extremely nasty”. Hundreds of small roaches were visible crawling around the van, and what was believed to be blood was found on the driver’s seat. The van was towed back to Brewton to be processed by investigators.
The murder was first reported to be the result of an argument over a ladder that was propped against the suspect’s travel trailer. But when Luker, who appeared to be intoxicated, made her confession to the sheriff, she said the ladder was not part of the incident. Gray said she got into an argument with Porter, words were exchanged and she shot him once with a handgun. She denied that Luker had any part in the murder. She told the sheriff that she had tossed the murder weapon “in the river”.
After deputies enter Luker’s camper with guns drawn to make sure it was empty, they found Luker had been living in absolute squalor. The small travel trailer was littered with clothes and dirty dishes. Hundreds of roaches were scattered by light, and the stench was overwhelming. Children’s toys could be seen among the mess. Outside, raw sewage dripped on the ground. Children’s toys were scattered around an open septic tank.
Click here for an exclusive NorthEscambia.com photo gallery. The gallery contains photos you will see only on NorthEscambia.com from the scene, both suspects taken in custody, inside the suspect’s camper, and inside the getaway van.
Pictured top: Murder suspect Lorraine Gray confessed to Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Grover Smith that she shot Kenneth Porter Thursday night. Pictured top inset: Escambia County (Ala.) Chief Deputy Mike Lambeth as the deputies searched for murder suspect Clarance Luker. Pictured bottom inset: Murder suspect Clarence Luker was taken into custody about midnight Thursday. Pictured below: NorthEscambia.com found the suspect’s getaway van returning to the scene of the crime. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: Oprah Winfrey Show To Feature Billings Murder With Markham, Morgan
September 25, 2009
An upcoming episode of the Oprah Winfrey show was taped Thursday afternoon with Ashley Markham, daughter of murder victims Byrd and Melanie Billings, and Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan.
Markham, her husband James, and Robert Beasley, their attorney, were in Chicago for the taping. The sheriff taped his portion of the program via the Skype Internet video chat program from his office in Pensacola.
The show is expected to air sometime next week; and exact date has not been announced. The show will reportedly focus around the Billings family and their children.
Pictured above: Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan waits to film a segment on the Oprah Winfrey show via an Internet teleconference from his office Thursday afternoon. Pictured below: Morgan conducts his interview with Oprah. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
County Passes Budget; Century Courthouse To Remain Open
September 25, 2009
The Escambia County Commission approved a $367.4 million budget Thursday night, including the $65,000 needed to keep the Century Courthouse open.
The budget passed 4-1 with Commissioner Kevin White casting the negative vote.
“I’ve said all along that I could not vote for a budget that included spending one-time funds and reserves,” White told NorthEscambia.com after the vote. The $367.4 million budget for the next fiscal year represents a reduction from the current year $391.6 million budget, but it does require the county to use one-time revenue.
The budget includes $65,000 to keep Escambia County Clerk of the Courts Ernie Lee Magaha in the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century. At a budget hearing last week, Commissioner Gene Valentino question if the courthouse could be closed and the money be used to fund the Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce.
Teacher’s Aide Busted In Walnut Hill; Search Warrant Uncovers ‘Large Amount’ Of Cocaine In Jaguar
September 25, 2009
An Escambia County teacher’s aide is behind bars after a search warrant executed at his Walnut Hill home turned up a “large amount” of cocaine as well as other drugs.
Rodney Darnell Portis, 41, of Juniper Street, Walnut Hill, was charged with one count of cocaine possession with the intent to sell and two counts of possessing a controlled substance without a prescription.
Portis is employed as a teacher’s aide at E-SEAL, an associated work skills program that offers vocational training for special education high school students from across Escambia County, according to a spokesperson for the Escambia County School District.
Deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at Portis’ residence in the 100 block of Juniper Street in Walnut Hill.
“Portis stated that he had only been selling crack cocaine for a short time and that all he had was a small amount of crack cocaine in his Isuzu Rodeo,” ECSO Investigator Heath Jackson wrote in the arrest report.
A search of that vehicle revealed a large amount of crack cocaine, $407 in cash and a 9mm handgun in the front seat, according to the ECSO report. A pill container in the Rodeo contained one Lortab and two Oxycontin, according to Jackson’s report. A search of a Jaguar at the home found a “large amount of crack cocaine in the trunk area” and a container containing four more Oxycontin pills, the arrest report states. Portis, according to deputies, admitted that the cocaine and Oxycontin belonged to him.
Jackson said the arrest was part of an ongoing investigatin.
Portis was booked into the Escambia County Jail on $120,000 bond.
Northview Beats Jay; Jay Beats Northview In Volleyball Action
September 25, 2009
Northview High School’s Lady Chiefs beat the Jay Royals on the volleyball court Thursday night; and the JV Royals were victorious over the JV Chiefs.
Here are stats provided by Northview from both games in Jay:
Northview def. Jay – Varsity
15-25 24-26 25-23 27-17 25-11
Shawna Montgomery 11 M Kills-9, Aces-4, Assists- 5, Blocks-4
Caitlin Hall 12 Setter Assists– 16, Aces-5, Block-3, Kills-2
Angela Rodriguez 12 LS/Middle Kills-4, Aces-4, Digs-1
Shaniqua Jones 11 Middle Kills – 6, Digs – 1, Blocks – 2
Record – Overall – 4 -9; District 2 -2
Jay def. Northview – JV
19-25 12-25
Trestine Dean 11 Setter/Left Aces – 2, Assists – 2
Morgan Payne 09 Middle/Setter Kills– 4, Aces – 6
Josie Doucette 10 Middle Kills – 2, Digs-1