Blount County Murder: 4 Suspects Charged

BLOUNT COUNTY, AL — After the gruesome discovery of 38-year-old Adam Beard's dead body in a metal barrel Tuesday night, an investigation has resulted in the arrest of four suspects. Interviews with the suspects revealed they had been friends with Beard and each one reportedly blamed others in the group for the murder.

The four suspects arrested are:

• Haley Ragsdale, 19 of Blountsville
• Ryan Hunter Farr, 20 of Hayden
• Sara Moore,36 of Blountsville
• Jesus Flores, 38 of Blountsville

Beard was discovered behind a residence in Blountsville off of Paige Springs Road, according to a statement by the Blount County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies and Blountsville PD responded to the residence and found a blue metal container just inside the wood line with Beard's decomposing body inside. The scene was secured and roped off and investigators were called to the scene.

All four subjects were interviewed and detained on a 48 hour investigative hold. A search warrant for the property was obtained and deputies searched the home and found that the scene of the crime was inside a trailer on the property.

Multiple pieces of evidence were recovered from the inside as well as the outside of the residence and collected. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office allowed one of its deputies, Drew Cleveland and his K9 partner to assist in the investigation. Cleveland recovered multiple pieces of evidence, including the murder weapon, an aluminum baseball bat.

According to Moore’s statement, Beard came to her trailer to get a phone from Flores. When he got inside, Flores and Farr reportedly began beating Beard in the head with the bat.

Flores had a different version of the night's events. He indicated that it was Hunter and Moore who killed Beard, and said they were using drugs and Moore and Beard were arguing over who was going to pay Flores for the drugs.

Farr denied killing Beard, saying Flores killed Beard while he and Moore watched.

On September 5, Blount County investigators officially signed warrants and charged all four suspects with capital murder. All four suspects are currently being held in the Blount County Correctional Facility without bond.