Man accused of south Alabama massacre is expected in court

MOBILE, Ala. – A Mississippi man accused of killing five people in a south Alabama home with blows from an axe and gunshots is scheduled to appear at an arraignment hearing Wednesday.

Authorities say 27-year-old Derrick Dearman attacked the three men and two women as they slept Aug. 20 and then kidnapped his estranged girlfriend, who had sought shelter in the house to get away from a violent relationship with him.

Dearman is charged with six counts of murder, including one count for the unborn child of a pregnant woman who was among the dead.

Dearman told reporters while being led to jail that he was high on methamphetamine at the time of the killings. Lawyer Jim Vollmer, who was appointed by a judge to represent Dearman, hasn’t commented on details of the case.

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