Three people were arrested Tuesday in connection to the killing of an Alabama man, whose body was found in a shallow grave, authorities said.

Dale McKee, 33, Aprille Smith, 26, and Dylan Smith, 28, were charged Tuesday with murder in the death of 35-year-old Mark Wayne Motley Jr., news outlets reported.

Marshall County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Steve Guthrie said Motley was killed by blunt force trauma. His body was found in a shallow grave Monday afternoon in the Asbury community, Guthrie said.

Guthrie declined to comment on a suspected motive for the slaying but said Motley, McKee, Aprille Smith and Dylan Smith were acquaintances.
The investigation was ongoing.

It’s unclear whether the trio have attorneys who could comment on their behalf.