Willoe Watkins Murder: 4th Suspect Arrested

TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, AL — The death of 20-year-old Marka "Willoe" Watkins — who had been missing for nearly a month before being found dead in Tuscaloosa County in July — has resulted in another arrest. Monic Mochell Battles, the wife of one of the first suspects charged, was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail on Saturday.

Three suspects have already been arrested and charged in her murder. Authorities have charged Kendal Tyler Battles, 29, and Joseph Brandon Nevels, 20, and Devon Trent Hall, 27, with murder and abuse of a corpse.

Court records show that Monic Battles was allegedly at the scene of the crime when Watkins was beaten with a baseball bat and strangled with a cord. Watkins’ body was then wrapped in garbage bags and dumped in a well. Investigators were told the three men and a woman – now identified as Monic Battles - beat Watkins to death, threw her in a well and poured cement on top of her body

Investigators took more than 12 hours to excavate the well and recover her body. It is believed that Watkins was beaten to death after being accused of stealing Nevels' cell phone.

Watkins was a graduate of McAdory High School and was once involved in high school pageants. She was reported missing June 15 by her grandmother. After several tips on her whereabouts, authorities found Watkins dead July 29.