BUTLER, Ala. (AP) The son of a slain Alabama preacher has been arrested on a murder charge in the killing of his father and the attempted slaying of his mother, authorities said.
Shannon Xavier Pearson, 25, was arrested Monday by federal marshals in Plano, Texas, the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release posted on social media. He was being held on a cash bond of $1 million in the shooting death of his father, the Rev. Tim Pearson.
Pearson also is charged with trying to kill his mother, Melony Pearson, who was seriously injured, the statement said.
Deputies were called about the shooting around midnight on Jan. 8. Melissa Breauna Hill, 18, surrendered to authorities on the day of the shooting and was charged with murder and attempted murder, authorities said. Her bail also was set at $1 million cash.
An attorney representing Hill, Erica Kemmer, said she and her client were pleased Pearson had been charged. “We have faith in the criminal justice system and the people of Alabama to ensure that justice is served in this matter,” she said.
Court records weren’t yet available to show whether Pearson had a lawyer.
Pearson’s father was pastor of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, located in Melvin near the Mississippi state line.