Two arrests made in homicide

ASHRIDGE  -  Two Haleyville men face murder charges in the death of 38-year-old Phillip Craig Miles, whose body was discovered by his daughter at his residence in the Ashridge area March 31.
On Thursday, April 15, Daniel Alexander Gillian, 31, of Highway 195,  Haleyville, and John Travis Whitlock, 45, of Lakeshore Drive, Haleyville, were arrested in connection with Miles’ death, stated Winston/Marion County District Attorney Scott Slatton.
Gillian and Whitlock were charged with murder after evidence revealed their involvement in the case, according to Slatton, who with DA’s Investigator Rusty Hulsey of the 25th Judicial Circuit announced the arrests April 15.  Further arrests and/or charges may be forthcoming in the active investigation, according to Slatton and Hulsey.
Miles was found dead at his residence at 5937 County Road 55, leading  to an investigation by local and state agencies, which termed the case a homicide early in the investigation.
A 9-1-1 call was placed by Miles’ daughter, who had stopped at his residence to check on him between 5 -6 p.m., according to Slatton. The Winston County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and secured the area until the DA’s criminal investigation unit arrived at the scene, authorities said.
Winston County Coroner Tracey Holley was called to the scene, she said.  She pronounced Miles dead at 3:24 a.m. Thursday, April 1, she said. Miles was transported from the scene by Holley to the morgue located at the Winston County Coroner’s office at Lakeland Community Hospital in Haleyville, Holley stated.  Miles was then transferred to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science in Huntsville for official  evaluation to determine the exact cause of death, Holley explained.
A preliminary report from forensics noted that Miles died of,  “multiple sharp force injuries”, officials confirmed.
Leading the investigation are  DA’s office investigators Hulsey and Andy Jones, with assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency in processing the crime scene and collecting evidence, according to Slatton.
“This matter is currently under active investigation, and no further statements will be made at this time,” Slatton pointed out.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Hulsey at 205-570-4797.

*When a defendant is charged with a crime, the charge is merely an accusation until or unless proven guilty in a court of law.