3 Alabama Men Charged In Polk City Shooting Death

LAKELAND, FL – Three men are now in custody in Mobile, Alabama, after being charged in a Polk City shooting that left one man dead.

Mobile law enforcement officials arrested 22-year-old Kenley Campbell and 22-year-old Darril Lamar Rankin Jr. on Saturday, Jan. 6, and accused trigger man 18-year-old Gerjuan Demarcus Jackson on Tuesday, Jan. 9.

The arrests made with assistance from Polk County Sheriff's investigators stem from the Jan. 3 shooting of two Polk City roommates, William Reiss and Kenneth Maier.

According to statements made by Polk Sheriff Grady Judd during a Jan. 10 press conference, Campbell, Rankin and Jackson have confessed to the shootings, which left Reiss dead at the scene and Maier in critical/stable condition at a local hospital.

The three accused killers, who live in Mobile, told investigators that Jackson had visited Polk City earlier in the month to give Reiss an estimate on damage to his home caused by Hurricane Irma. During the course of that meeting, Reiss reportedly sold Jackson two handguns.

Upon his return to Alabama, Jackson was arrested for carrying a firearm without a permit and possession of cannabis.

Despite his arrest, Jackson, accompanied by acquaintances Campbell and Rankin, returned to Polk City in Campbell’s Chevrolet Sonic Jan. 3, arriving around 1:30 p.m. While Campbell and Rankin waited in the car, Jackson told investigators that he entered Reiss’ home and fired several bullets at Reiss and Maier.

After the shootings, Campbell and Rankin told investigators they assisted Jackson in stealing Reiss’ collection of 20 to 25 firearms and a flat-screen television. They loaded the stolen goods into the trunk of Campbell's car and bed of Reiss’ Dodge pickup truck.

After returning to Alabama, Jackson told investigators that he took Reiss’ pickup truck to a wooded area and set it on fire.

Investigators subsequently recovered six firearms, an extensive amount of ammunition, electronic devices and clothing believed to be worn by the suspects during the shootings. Three of the firearms were from Reiss’ stolen collection. Detectives also found a box of latex gloves and trace amounts of blood in the Chevrolet Sonic.

Jackson told investigators that all but the three recovered firearms and the big-screen TV had been sold “on the streets.”

Judd praised his investigators for quickly solving the case.

“William Reiss was shot and murdered, and Kenneth Maier was shot and left for dead,” he said during the press conference. “Maier is currently in the hospital fighting for his life. I can’t begin to say how disgusted we are at the depravity displayed by these men.”

All three men were booked into the Mobile County Metro Jail and will be extradited to Polk County at a later date. The investigation is ongoing and further charges may be filed.

So far, the three men are charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, armed burglary with assault, 13 counts of grand theft of a firearm, robbery with a firearm, grand theft of a motor vehicle and conveyance robbery.

Video via Polk County Sheriff’s Office