BETHALTO, Ill. — Detectives with the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis have announced that charges have been filed against Brady Witcher, 41, and Brittany McMillan, 28, in connection with the deaths of three people found inside a home in Bethalto on Friday.
Witcher is charged with:
- Nine counts of first-degree murder (class M)
- One count of armed robbery (class X)
- One count of aggravated vehicular hijacking (class X)
- One count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon (class 2)
McMillan is charged with:
- Nine counts of first-degree murder (class M)
- One count of armed robbery (class X)
- One count of aggravated vehicular hijacking (class X)
Each victim was shot in the head three times, charging documents said. Police said during a Saturday press conference that the nine murder charges were for the nine bullets used.
Police outlined the couple's lengthy crime spree.
Witcher and McMillan were wanted in Clarksville, Tennessee for shoplifting, aggravated kidnapping and theft of a motor vehicle. They were also wanted out of Jefferson County, Alabama, for capital murder and kidnapping.
Clarksville, Tennessee police said in addition to the Walmart incident, Witcher and McMillan also invaded a home on the 100-block of Westfield Court on Wednesday night and into the early morning hours of Thursday.
Witcher and McMillan were able to elude police on Wednesday and then made their way to the home on Westfield Court around 4 p.m. They found an unlocked apartment, went inside and tied up a young, married couple in their 20s.
Witcher and McMillan, both armed with guns, then forced the couple into a closet where they remained until being taken out sometime early Thursday morning.
Angela May is the couple’s neighbor.
“It’s just right next door. I heard a gentleman in a loud voice arguing and two minutes later I heard a woman say look what you did and then complete silence,” said May.
Police say Witcher and McMillan then stole the couple’s truck, took off and ended up in Bethalto the next day where police say they murdered three people.
The victims are identified as 59-year-old female Shari Yates of Bethalto, Yates' 30-year-old son, Andrew Brooks and a 32-year-old male John McMillian. Yates and Brooks were residing at the address on Mill St., while John McMillian was a resident of the Bethalto, Illinois area.
Witcher and McMillan were found at a motel in Hazelwood, Missouri.
Hazelwood police were contacted and worked with the FBI to confirm they were at the motel. Both suspects were taken into custody are being held in the Hazelwood jail.
Neither of the stolen vehicles was found with Witcher and McMillan in Missouri.
McMillan and Witcher are currently in custody at St. Louis County Detention Center, where they are awaiting extradition to Madison County.
