HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — A 55-year-old man, Daniel Ray Shelton, has been arrested and charged with murder and abuse of a corpse after the body of 39-year-old David Merrit was discovered near Whitesburg Bridge on Friday morning, according to the Huntsville Police Department (HPD).
Officers responded to a report of a possible deceased male around 9:30 a.m. along Highway 231/431, north of the bridge. Preliminary findings from HPD’s Major Crimes Unit indicate Merrit died from a gunshot wound. Evidence suggests an attempt was made to dispose of the body in the Tennessee River.
Investigators believe an altercation occurred between Shelton and Merrit that escalated to the fatal shooting. HPD worked closely with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office during the investigation due to the incident’s proximity to county lines.
On Saturday, a SWAT team executed a search warrant at a property on Seagrove Road in Lacey’s Spring, but Shelton was not found at the scene.
He was later located by Cullman Police, brought in for questioning by HPD detectives, and subsequently arrested and booked into the Madison County Jail.
A background check revealed Shelton was previously arrested on April 10 in Guntersville on a fugitive warrant out of Tennessee for domestic assault but was released on his own recognizance.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact HPD’s Major Crimes Unit.
