ST. LOUIS — A police source is telling 5 On Your Side, that a fugitive couple wanted in both Tennessee and Alabama and arrested in Hazelwood, Missouri, may be connected to the deaths of three people in Bethalto, Illinois. Those deaths are currently under investigation by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis.
Brady Witcher, 41, and Brittany McMillan, 28, 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.
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 hotel. Both suspects were taken into custody are being held in the Hazelwood jail.
Clarksville 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 they’re likely connected to a triple homicide.
Neither of the stolen vehicles was found with Witcher and McMillan in Missouri.
3 found dead inside Bethalto home
The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis is investigating the deaths of 3 people found late Thursday night inside a home in the 300 block of Mill Street in Bethalto, Illinois.
The bodies were discovered around 11 p.m., by Bethalto police who were acting on a request for a welfare check on a resident at the home from the Hazelwood, Missouri Department.
Police found 59-year-old Shari Yates, 30-year-old Andrew “A.J.” Brooks and 32-year-old John McMillan dead inside a home.
Noelle Russo was a friend of Brooks.
“He would walk into a room and brighten the room and you don’t meet people like him every day, and 15 years-plus I was friends with him,” said Russo.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis at 618-377-5266.