Recently, several vehicle thefts and burglaries prompted concurrent investigations into the persons committing these thefts. After following leads, witness statements, and collaboration from agencies in the region, the investigation pointed to the same individual.
 
After a neighboring agency ran a firearm during the course of a traffic stop, the firearm was discovered to be reported stolen in the thefts from earlier. Our investigators followed up with the individual in possession of the firearm, and discovered several burglaries and car thefts were committed by this same person.
 
David Jeffrey Guyton, age 26 of Jasper, was arrested on 5 counts of Theft of Property in the First Degree, two counts of Theft of Property in the Second Degree, Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree, Receiving Stolen Property in the First Degree, Receiving Stolen Property in the Second Degree, and Burglary in the Third Degree.
 
This case would not have been made possible without one crucial element: a firearms owner keeping records of the serial numbers of their firearms. By keeping serial numbers of firearms, TVs, lawn equipment, and more, it greatly increases the chances of recovering property after a theft or burglary. We encourage our citizens to make a digital and physical list of any item of value, and keep it somewhere safe. It could be the key to solving one or more criminal cases.
 
We thank our neighboring agencies, deputies, and investigators that put the work into this case. Without it, these firearms, vehicles, and items of value would not have been recovered.

Any indication of an arrest does not imply guilt. All persons depicted are presumed innocent, until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Walker County Sheriff’s Office strives to be a capstone in law enforcement, and a forerunner of public safety. We’re working to become a CALEA accredited agency, and we’re making strides in that regard. The latest move, in that journey, is to complete implicit bias training for all APOST certified officers.
 
The goal, of this training, is to promote fairness in law enforcement. This initiative follows standards set by the Alabama Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC), who, along with national police frontrunners, have identified the need for introspective awareness in law enforcement about how we interact with members of our communities.
 
Implicit bias refers to the subconscious attitudes can define an individual’s response to the people and world around them. In the context of law enforcement, recognizing and addressing implicit bias is incredibly important to ensuring equal treatment for all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic status.
 
Implementing implicit bias training shows an effort to bring our police strategy into the twenty-first century, and aims to be more inclusive to all cross sections of our community. Sheriff Smith shared some wisdom, and optimism about the program’s long-term benefits stating that, “building trust with our community starts with understanding the way we perceive the world. This training helps us become better deputies and, more importantly, better members of the community we serve.” Through initiatives like this, our office aims to show that positive change in law enforcement is not only possible, but essential for a safer and more united Walker County, for every person.

On Saturday, a possible kidnapping was reported to Walker County Sheriff's dispatch. The names of a  suspect, witness,  and victim were given to dispatch.  The suspect was already wanted in connection with a previous shooting in Carbon Hill.

Deputies and Investigators worked for over eight (8) hours doing searches and interviews in multiple counties. The Fayette County Sheriff's Office and Winston County Sheriff's Office along with the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force assisted throughout the day.

Investigators were finally able to locate the suspect and the female at a residence on Hwy 233 in Winfield.

Christopher Austin Lee Dodd, age 29 of Nauvoo, was arrested on a felony warrant for Assault 1st degree in relation to the prior Carbon Hill shooting.

The kidnapping was determined to be unfounded after speaking with the female.

Any indication of an arrest does not imply guilt. All persons presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,

On November 18, 2024, Tristan Zayne Anderson was formally indicted on child pornography charges by a Walker County Grand Jury in connection to an ongoing Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigation.

Anderson was charged with 1 count of Dissemination of Obscene Matter Containing Visual Depiction of Persons Under 17 Years of Age Involved in Obscene Acts and 93 counts of Possession of Obscene Matter Containing Visual Depiction of Persons Under 17 Years of Age Involved in Obscene Acts.

Anderson was taken into custody and is currently being held in the Walker County Jail on a $30,000 cash bond. Although there has been an arrest, this investigation remains ongoing.

The Walker County Sheriff’s Office requests that anyone with additional information regarding this case, please contact Investigator Bryant Parkhurst at 205-302-6177

Danny Alexander joins the team of School Resource Officers stationed across Walker County, ensuring a visible law enforcement presence at every campus. This initiative reflects Sheriff Smith’s long-standing commitment to having deputies in all county schools, a goal achieved on his first day in office.
 
The addition of an SRO at the Walker County Center of Technology marks a strategic step in fostering a secure educational environment while building meaningful relationships between law enforcement and the youth of our community.

Last week, your WCSO responded to 289 calls for service. In these calls for service, is included calls for harassment, domestic violence, and so much more. These calls for service are our primary responsibility, as public servants. We care about our community and strive to offer impeccable service to our citizens.   

While we weren’t busy with calls, we made 38 traffic stops, where we took time to educate citizens about the motor vehicle laws of Alabama. We also made seven arrests during the week, which is a slight decrease over the prior week’s numbers.   

We’re proud to serve you, Walker County. If you need us, please give us a call at 205-302-6464

The Walker County Sheriff's Office earned 1st place in the East Walker County Christmas Parade! Their beautifully decorated float brought holiday cheer to the community and showed off some creativity and teamwork.


Thank you to everyone who helped make this float happen. We greatly appreciate all of our office staff, reserve deputies, explorers, and deputy sheriffs for coming out and making the season bright!

Recently, the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force has been increasing efforts to locate wanted individuals in the Walker County Area. The following individuals were taken into custody over the past few weeks:
Douglas Ray Lashum, age 59 of Quinton, was arrested on warrants of sexual abuse of child under 12 years old, and enticing a child to enter
 
Jordan Allen Lopez, age 25 of Oakman, was arrested on warrants of burglary in the first degree, kidnapping in the second degree, and Domestic Violence in the first degree.
 
Abe Crum Cook IV, age 36 of Jasper, was arrested on warrants of elder abuse and neglect in the second degree.
 
Malique Savionne Harris, age 21 of Birmingham, was arrested on warrants of attempted murder, robbery in the first degree, and discharging a gun into an unoccupied building or vehicle.
 
We thank the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force members in their work to locate these individuals. If you know the whereabouts of any wanted individual, submit your tips through the WCSO app, which can be downloaded below.
https://apps.myocv.com/share/a43035501

On the evening of December 2nd, 2024, Investigator Franks and Investigator Richardson were working narcotics complaints in the area of Empire.
 
Deputy Franks observed a vehicle with an obstructed tag, and made a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver, Bradley Gann, age 41 of Hayden, was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia.

Two other individuals were arrested on a separate traffic stop made by Investigator Richardson. Kaylyn Holt, age 21 of Jasper, and Jason Wayne Davis, age 30 of Cullman, were also found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia.
 
All three were arrested at the scenes without further incident. These three arrests highlight the continued effort by our investigators to actively prevent crime in our communities. By proactively responding to your complaints that are submitted, we are able to effectively focus these enforcement efforts. Submit your tips via our WCSO app, available at the links below!

https://apps.myocv.com/share/a43035501