Investigators Arrest Suspects in October Double Murder in Tuscaloosa County

Investigators have arrested two men and charged them with capital murder in connection with a double homicide discovered in Tuscaloosa County weeks ago.

As the Thread previously reported, the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit has been working this case since mid-October, when a man was found dead in an abandoned home in the area of Old Fayette Road and Highway 43 North near Lake Tuscaloosa.

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Days later, a second body was located not far from the first - 37-year-old Erik Bradley Thomas, who was a cousin of the first man found dead, Terance Smith.

The VCU said foul play appeared to be involved in their deaths, and investigators have been working this case daily since the bodies were discovered.

On Tuesday, jail records show that 51-year-old Barry Craig and 31-year-old Wesley Rice have been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the case.

Both men are being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail without bond. Craig is listed as being charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of murder. Rice faces the same charges and is also accused of possessing a firearm illegally, as he is a convicted felon.

Indictments filed Tuesday accused Craig and Rice of fatally shooting Erik Thomas during an "abduction or attempted abduction," and said the two men also fatally shot Terrance Smith.

On Tuesday afternoon, VCU Commander Jack Kennedy commented on the case and said the arrests come after extensive amounts of forensic testing, cyber analysis, witness statements, and executed search warrants.

"The suspects knew the victims and had been engaged in an ongoing dispute with one of them for some time," Kennedy said. "Both suspects were arrested late last night and committed to the Tuscaloosa County Jail. These arrests are not the end of this investigation, and it is ongoing."

The VCU praised cooperating agencies for bringing the suspects to an indictment, including the TCSO Crime Scene Unit, TCSO and TPD Cyber Units, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, The Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office, and the US Marshalls Task Force.

"The victim’s families have been steadfast in their support of the investigation and justice for their sons," Kennedy said.

For updates as they become available, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.