Deadly Bay Minette stabbing over stolen truck according to investigators
BAY MINETTE, Ala. (WALA) - We’re learning more about what led to a deadly stabbing in Bay Minette last month. A man was found stabbed to death inside a home on Old Daphne Road. Bay Minette Police charged an Atmore woman with the killing. The suspect told police she’d tracked her stolen pickup to that residence, where she ended up confronting the man she said stole it.
The murder case against Cassandra Malden of Atmore bound over to Grand Jury(Hal Scheurich)
Thirty-year-old Cassandra Marie Malden appeared before Judge Bill Scully Thursday, April 18, 2024 where he heard testimony from the lead investigator. Sergeant Robert Gates with Bay Minette Police said the victim, Demetrius Crook of Bay Minette was found stabbed six to eight times inside a home on Old Daphne Road on March 29th.
He said Malden and Crook were long-time friends and rode together in Malden’s pickup to the casino in Atmore the night before. It was on the way home during a gas stop that Malden said in her statement, Crook stole her truck. She later offered a reward on social media to anyone who could find her truck. Gates told the judge her statements to that point were confirmed.
From there, prosecutors said there are discrepancies in her story but agree that she did report the truck stolen in Atmore, rode to Bay Minette with a friend, going to the Sheriff’s Office and telling deputies where her truck could be found. That’s when prosecutors said Malden made a bad decision.
“This is why we have law enforcement, and we contact law enforcement, so things like this don’t happen and unfortunately, Ms. Malden made a series of bad decisions and decided to take a deadly…the deadly route in this case and Mr. Crook lost his life due to that,” said Baldwin County Assistant District Attorney, Patrick Doggett after the hearing.
According to her own statement, deputies asked Malden to stay put while they looked for the truck, but when she learned through social media the truck had been moved, instead of waiting, she had her friend drive her to the home on Old Daphne Road. Seeing her truck, she approached it, and said she found Crook inside. She claims Crook began hitting her, threatening to shoot her. She claimed she fought back with a knife in self-defense.
“We can’t go too much into detail, but I mean, you heard the testimony. I think, you know she was cooperative from the moment she got arrested. She kind of told them her side of things. I think our case will be based on self-defense,” said Malden’s defense attorney, Trey Canida.
Crook was able to make it into the living room of the home where he died. Others at the residence called police. When they arrived, Malden and three witnesses were questioned, and Malden placed under arrest. Demetrius Cook’s mother and cousin heard the details for the first time in the hearing and were visibly shaken at times. They said it’s been a tough few weeks on the family.
“We’re not okay. We’re not,” said Crook’s cousin, Shay Tunstall. “The ones that are here and the ones that are far, it’s a lot for us. We’re not okay. We’re still trying to console each other even for being miles away.”
Cassandra Malden has remained in jail on a $150,000 bond. Her attorney asked the judge to drop it to $30,000, saying she isn’t a flight risk. The prosecution argued against that and Judge Scully ultimately left bond where it is and bound the case over to the Grand Jury.
Copyright 2024 WALA. All rights reserved.
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4/19/2024 5:25am
Deadly Bay Minette stabbing over stolen truck according to investigators