3 found guilty in federal murder-for-hire conspiracy involving shooting at 2 Mobile clubs at Walmart

Three men were convicted by a federal Alabama jury of murder-for-hire conspiracy and other crimes. Shootings at two Mobile nightclubs and a Walmart two years agofederal prosecutors said Friday.

Sean Costello, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, said the plot, which did not kill the intended target but injured several people, including a paralyzed man, was in retaliation for an earlier murder.

After a three-week trial, a jury in Mobile found John Fitzgerald McCarroll, Jr., 30, Darrius Dwayne Rowser, 20, and Lyteria Isheeia Hollis, 30, of Mobile, guilty of murder-for-hire conspiracy, murder. rental, carjacking conspiracy, interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle, tampering with evidence and tampering with witnesses.

Under federal law, each defendant faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

Court documents and evidence, including text messages, social media, financial records and surveillance video, showed that McCarroll, with the help of Hollis and others, directed payments to would-be assassins, including Rowser and others, to carry out the intended murder.

Evidence showed that hired shooters attempted but failed to kill the intended target during multiple nightclub shootings in 2022.

Reginald Dennis Alan Fluker, who previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, opened fire at the Bank Nightlife club in September 2022 with a gun McCarroll gave him.

Fluker shot the wrong person, and the person later died from his injuries.

In November 2022, Rowser fired at the intended target at the Paparazzi Lounge in Mobile, using a machine gun given to him by McCarroll. Rowser likewise missed the target and shot four victims instead; one of them was paralyzed.

Evidence also showed that as part of the conspiracy, Rowser and others, under McCarroll’s direction, traveled to Mississippi to steal cars to spy on the target of the conspiracy.

In September 2022, during a carjacking attempt in D’Iberville, Mississippi, Rowser shot and killed a victim. As part of this murder, Rowser and a co-conspirator returned to Mobile and burned the stolen car they had used during the attempted carjacking.

Evidence also showed that in December 2022, Rowser and other co-conspirators, at McCarroll’s direction, went to the Walmart on I-65 Service Road South in Mobile to purchase a GPS tracking device for the target’s vehicle.

During this trip, Rowser and an accomplice opened fire at the store’s self-checkout area, hitting two victims.

Finally, the evidence showed that after the arrests of McCarroll, Fluker, and other members of the conspiracy, the defendants attempted to tamper with evidence and a witness.

Specifically, McCarroll instructed Hollis to hide a gun he had previously purchased for Fluker due to Fluker’s involvement in the murder plot. Federal agents seized that gun from Hollis’ home.

Additionally, the jury found McCarroll guilty of attempting to falsify Fluker’s testimony by having her sign a false affidavit; This affidavit was filed with the state court to bail McCarroll out of jail.

U.S. District Judge Terry F. Moorer scheduled sentencing for March 6.