New Details Revealed in Quadruple Murder Case

By Jon Paepcke
Investigative reporter
Published: September 4, 2008

BESSEMER, Ala.—- A Birmingham homicide detective revealed new details Thursday morning about the investigation into the murder of a family of four in July.

Sam Noblett spent more than an hour on the stand in Judge Eric Fancher’s courtroom at the Preliminary Hearing for suspects Shaunnasty Lowe and Steven Williams.

Both Lowe and Williams are charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting deaths of Derrick Witherspoon, his wife Elizabeth and her sons, 13 year old Jerome McFarland and 11 year old brother Justin.

All four were found shot in their burning George Avenue home on July 24th after firefighters extinguished the flames.

In court Thursday Noblett told Judge Fancher that Elizabeth Witherspoon was shot three times in the head, Derrick was shot six times and each child was shot once in the head.

Noblett detailed what led them to develop Lowe and Williams as suspects.

He testified the a number of witnesses spotted Lowe’s maroon Cadillac driving back and forth in front of the Witherspoon’s home with the headlights off the night of the murders.

He also recounted Lowe’s original statement to police.

Noblett claimed Lowe admitted to being in the car at the scene of the crime and that two men he was with went into the Witherspoon’s home for about 30 minutes before the men emerged and threw guns in his lap telling him to dispose of them.

Noblett testified that Lowe identified Williams and another man as being with him in the car that night.

So far, the third individual has not been named as a suspect in the Witherspoon family murders and no charges have been filed against him in this case.

The detective also told the judge Williams’ girlfriend told police Williams had told her he was there when the family was murdered.

There was also testimony about ballistics evidence used to identify Williams as a suspect.

Noblett said a woman named Mary Williams had brought a bullet to police that she claimed was fired at her son by Steven Williams.

A Birmingham police forensics lab has confirmed that bullet was fired by the same gun used in the murder of the Witherspoon family.

The U.S. Marshals Office assisted the Birmingham Police department in tracking down the two suspects.

In court, Noblett said Marshals used cell phone tracking technology to locate the men.
Lowe’s defense attorney Charles Salvaggio asked Noblett about motive.

While Noblett could not definitively say, he testified many witnesses told police the killings were drug related and that multiple witnesses said Derrick Witherspoon sold drugs out of his garage.

Witherspoon did plead guilty 14 years ago to two Possession of a Controlled Substance charges.

Outside Salvaggio said while his client may have been at the scene, his statement to police is questionable and he did not kill anyone.

Judge Fancher postponed his decision of whether or not to send the case to the grand jury until he hears testimony from a police witness that failed to show up in court Thursday.

He told attorneys he planned on making his ruling by Monday.