District Attorney Mike O’Dell announced that he has received a Proclamation of Reward issued by Governor Robert Bentley in the shooting attack at Fred’s Super Dollar Store on August 24, 2012. The unprovoked shooting of two of Fred’s employees, Josh Nance and Matt Whitt, has led to a massive manhunt for the perpetrator(s) of this attack. No arrest has been made, but local law enforcement officials, including the Rainsville Police and the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office, have already put in hundreds of man-hours in the course of this investigation pursuing leads and interviewing witnesses.



“The investigation has been very intense,” O’Dell said. “From the beginning law enforcement officers have made the arrest of this cowardly felon their top priority. They have investigated leads throughout North Alabama and into Georgia. We requested the reward about a week after the shooting and notified by the Governor on Monday. His Proclamation authorizes the payment of $2500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the guilty person or persons responsible for this horrible crime.”



According to the proclamation, entitlement to this reward includes only private citizens and shall not include members of any government law enforcement agency or their blood relatives.

“Someone has the information that detectives need in order to solve this case. My hope is that by offering this reward, whoever has that information will be encouraged to share what they know. Detectives are actively working to secure justice for the victims and peace of mind for the community. This is no time to stay silent. If you know who did this, we urge you to immediately contact investigators,” said Governor Bentley.

“I know I speak for both Sheriff Jimmy Harris and Rainsville Police Chief Charles Centers when I offer heartfelt thanks to the Governor for his willingness to issue the Proclamation of Reward in this case. We welcome any and all assistance in helping us solve this case,” O’Dell stated. “The Rainsville community has been on edge since the attack at Fred’s, and it is essential that we bring this investigation to a successful conclusion. I cannot say enough about the commitment being put forward by both Jimmy and Charles and their staffs. No resource is being withheld in this effort. I am confident that we will solve this case, and I believe actions such as this reward being offered today will help bring that about.”

“I truly appreciate Governor Bentley’s concern for the citizens of Rainsville. He has demonstrated his desire to be actively involved in the affairs of the citizens of Alabama since he has been in office, whether it involved hurricanes in South Alabama or a devastating series of tornados in our communities. This reward is just another example of his commitment.”