Autauga County records second homicide of year as Billingsley man charged in fatal shooting

PRATTVILLE — A Billingsley man faces a murder charge in connection to a Sunday morning shooting that authorities are calling an ambush.

Richard Kiley Cleckler, 49, is charged in the case, said Autauga County Sheriff Joe Sedinger. Cleckler. He was arrested Sunday afternoon on Mushat Lane after a short foot chase, records show.

Cleckler is charged in the shooting death of Geames Kyle Weathers, 33, also of Autauga County. It marks the second homicide for this year to be reported in Autauga County.

Cleckler was in the Autauga Metro Jail on Monday under no-bond. His first court appearance was pending Monday morning.

Deputies went to the 3000 block of Highway 143 in Marbury at about 8 a.m. Sunday on a suspicious activity call, the sheriff said. When they got there they found a blood trail that led to Weathers' body. He had been shot "multiple" times, Sedinger said.

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Cleckler allegedly shot Weathers in the back and shoulder after he walked past him on a trail, according to authorities. When Weathers was on the ground, Cleckler allegedly shot him twice in the back of the head, court records indicated.

The investigation pointed to Cleckler, who was not at the location. The sheriff's office put out an "armed and dangerous" description of him during their search. He was known to carry a manchette in the past, the lookout said. Cleckler was found about five miles from where Weathers' body was located.

The men knew one another and had a long-running dispute, Sedinger said.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Autauga County man faces murder charge after shooting in Marbury