18-y-o charged with murder, attempted murder of Alabama pastor and wife
An 18-year-old woman turned herself in hours after a pastor, named Tim Pearson, was shot and killed and his wife, Melony, was also injured. The suspect was charged with both murder and attempted murder.
Pearson, the pastor of Mt. Mariah Baptist Church in Melvin, Alabama, was murdered early Saturday morning and the woman, identified as Melissa Hill, surrendered the same day, according to Newscenter 11.
Total bond for Hill has been set at $1,050,000, as the investigation was underway and more details were awaited, as of early Sunday.
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A pastor for 14 years, Pearson was admired by the entire community, Deacon Cornelius Banks was quoted as saying. “He’s like a drawing, he would draw you to him by what he believed in. He would help me out a whole lot in the spiritual realm of things, he would strengthen me.”
Pearson had been married to his wife for more than 34 years. He was a father of three adult children and also had a grandson.
A 1993 graduate of Liberty Bible Institute in Lynchburg, Virginia, Pearson was a former Marine and retired U.S. Postmaster with over 32 years of federal service, according to the church’s website.
Pearson preached for more than 27 years and served as a board member on the Choctaw County Chamber of Commerce, as the chair of Supervisory Committee at Meridian Postal Credit Union, as president of Melvin Parks and Recreation Board, and as a board member for Leadership Choctaw.
