Man arrested in slaying of coach killed picking up dinner at Selma restaurant

Published 9:21 am Wednesday, February 24, 2021

A man was arrested and charged with capital murder in the killing of an Alabama high school basketball coach nearly three weeks after the man was shot to death outside a barbecue restaurant, authorities said.

Federal marshals captured Jerry Johnson at the home of a woman in Montgomery on Tuesday, Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson told news outlets. He said Johnson was accused of killing Dallas County coach Christopher Harrell during what was described as a random robbery at the business.

Jailed without bail, Johnson was set to appear in court in Selma on Wednesday, Jackson said.

Harrell, 56, had stopped to pick up dinner when someone tried to rob him, authorities said. There was no indication the shooting had anything to do with Harrell’s work as a coach, Jackson said.

Court records were not immediately available to show whether Johnson had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.