5 police officers charged following dispatcher’s death

CULLMAN COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) – Five officers with an Alabama police department, including the police chief, are facing charges following the death of a dispatcher.

Five officers with the Hanceville Police Department and one of their spouses have been indicted by an Alabama grand jury and arrested on multiple charges.

Cullman District Attorney Champ Crocker made the announcement Wednesday afternoon during a news conference.

The charges stem from the August 2024 death of 49-year-old Christopher Willingham, a 911 dispatcher who was found in his office at the Hanceville Police Department.

An autopsy determined that Willingham died of a drug overdose, specifically from the “combined toxic effects of fentanyl, gabapentin, diazepam, amphetamine, carisoprodol and methocarbamol.”

A grand jury on Wednesday said Willingham’s death was a direct result of “negligence and disregard for life” by the police department.

During the press conference, Crocker showed images of the police department’s evidence room, calling it “anything but secure.”

“One of the most concerning things that we discovered in this process is that the Hanceville Police Department’s evidence room was not secure,” Crocker said.

The evidence room had a large hole in a wall, and a broom was frequently used by individuals to access evidence through the hole.

“This evidence room was routinely accessed by individuals who were not authorized to do so,” Crocker said.

Gesturing to the photos of the unsecured evidence room, he added, “Mr. Willingham was given access to the evidence room through what you just saw, and he had access to it on his last day at work.”

Further details about the exact circumstances surrounding the death were not yet released.

The following Hanceville officers have been indicted on the following charges:

• Cody Alan Kelso, 33, is charged with two counts of computer tampering, two counts of using office for personal gain, tampering with evidence, and two counts of solicitation to commit a controlled substance crime.
• Jason Scott Wilbanks, 37, is charged with two counts of computer tampering, two counts of using office for personal gain, tampering with evidence, and two counts of solicitation to commit a controlled substance crime.
• Jason Shane Marlin (police chief), 51, is charged with two counts of failure to report ethics crime and tampering with evidence.
• William Andrew Shellnutt, 39, is charged with tampering with evidence.
• Eric Michael Kelso, 44, is charged with four counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substance and two counts conspiracy to unlawfully distribute a controlled substance.

Donna Reid Kelso, 63, the spouse of Eric Kelso, is charged with two counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substance, two counts of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute a controlled substance.

Officials said all six suspects have been released on bond.

The grand jury recommended the Hanceville Police Department be immediately disbanded, calling it “more of a criminal organization than a law enforcement agency.”

The grand jury also recommended that another law enforcement agency, whether local or state, be tasked with protecting the citizens of Hanceville.

The district attorney said it will be up to the city of Hanceville to decide whether to disband the police department.

The Cullman County Sheriff said in the press conference that his office is prepared to take on the responsibility of the Hanceville Police Department.

The city of Hanceville provided an official statement on Wednesday: