One suspected Grinch dead, another jailed after home invaders meet armed citizen

Published 6:47 am Sunday, December 18, 2022

An armed resident killed a home invader last week and scared a second away before he was eventually captured, a local sheriff’s office reported.

Winston County Sheriff’s Office investigators said the crime happened Tuesday off of County Road 21 in the Poplar Springs area.

One of two suspects in the home invasion was found dead at the scene when deputies arrived. The dead man having been shot by the armed homeowner.

The dead man was identified as Jason Wayne Smith, 40, of Jasper, Alabama.

Investigators said when the two suspects entered the residence, one of them began assaulting one of the occupants, hitting a resident in head with a handgun before shooting inside the home.

Another resident who heard the noise, then shot and killed the suspect and the second suspect, later identified as Donald Webb Jr. of Jasper.

Webb has been charged with first-degree robbery, though he may face additional charges, sheriff’s deputies said.