Suspect kidnapped, tortured and beat Alabama man to death, police allege

Published 2:59 pm Friday, January 6, 2023

An Alabama man has been arrested and charged with kidnapping, torturing and eventually killing another man.

Jonathan Hoover, 27, was charged with the capital murder and kidnapping of Nakel Johnson a 47-year-old Montgomery Alabama man was found beaten and stuffed into his own car in Lapine in November, court records indicate.

Police allege Hoover forcibly kidnapped Johnson sometime between November 13 and 15 and held him hostage in a hotel room where he beat Johnson severely.

Police believe Hoover then put Johnson into his own car and abandoned it on Boyd Springs Road in Lapine, but not before first trying to set the car on fire.

Hoover was arrested with the help of U.S. Marshals on Thursday.

Johnson was found on November 15 with severe injuries and was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead later.