A Webb man is charged with capital murder in an early-morning shooting Thursday after being captured following a more than 11-hour manhunt involving more than 100 area law enforcement agents.
Benjamin Adam Nowell, 35, is being held without bond in the Houston County Jail.
The victim, Brittany Nicole Phillips, 29, of Ashford, died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head. Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza said deputies arrived about seven minutes after a 3:52 a.m. report of a shooting on Knowles Road outside Webb, and found Phillips shot outside a vehicle. Deputies performed CPR and Phillips was transported to the Southeast Health, where she died.
Valenza said Phillips had been at a party and was giving someone a ride home when Nowell, who had followed her, rammed her vehicle with his, and then pulled up beside her and shot her in the head. Valenza described the incident as a domestic situation, as the suspect and victim were in a relationship to some degree.
The murder weapon has not been recovered, and deputies are still actively working the case.
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The lengthy manhunt was the largest Valenza has been involved with in his lengthy career, the sheriff said.
Valenza credits local media and the public for getting information out quickly, which resulted in several tips, leading to the capture of Nowell about 3:30 p.m. near the intersection of Henry County roads 11 and 22.
He also attributes the successful apprehension to the participation of multiple agencies, including K9 units from Jackson County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office and air support from Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Local EMT units assisted in treating heat exhaustion in several officers.
