Birmingham, Alabama (Area): Two Black Perps Allegedly Robbed and Pistolwhipped One Man, Then Murdered a White Family of Three While Fleeing Police

Ryan Max Culwell, 20, and his wife, Amber Nicole Verus, 23, were killed, along with their 10-month-old daughter, Rogue Marie Culwell

Posted by Nicholas Stix

Note to readers: If you “accidentally” kill people with a moving vehicle while committing a separate felony, or even while driving recklessly (or while intoxicated), it isn’t an accident, in the eyes of the law. It’s murder. Running a red light counts as reckless driving. Armed robbery and aggravated assault—robbing an elderly couple, and pistolwhipping the raceless, 77-year-old husband—would count as multiple separate felonies, even if the police weren’t giving chase. (The perps had beaten the man so badly that he needed his head stapled.) Because separate felonies were involved, and Alabama is a death penalty state, that means that if convicted, the suspects will be candidates for the death penalty.

An executioner’s salute to Violence Against Whites.

* * *Coroner identifies family killed after collision with robbery suspects
By WBRC Staff (Fox Alabama)
October 1, 2012 10:32 p.m. EDT; updated: October 2, 2012 6:04 p.m. EDT

JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL (WBRC) -
The Jefferson County Coroner's Office has identified the family killed last night near Birmingport Road as Amber Nicole Verus, 23, her husband Ryan Max Culwell, 20, and their 10-month-old daughter Rogue Marie Culwell, all from Hanceville.

The family was killed Monday evening when two robbery suspects allegedly collided with their vehicle while they waited at the traffic light at the intersection of Minor Parkway and Birmingport Road. Authorities are still searching for the two suspects.

Police say Monday nights events began when the robbery suspects stole an empty wallet from an elderly man in Cordova and then fled the scene.

According to preliminary reports and eyewitness statements, Dora police were pursuing the two robbery suspects in west Jefferson County.

Dora officers alerted other law enforcement agencies as the chase progressed, and at one point a Jefferson County Sheriff's deputy spotted the white SUV allegedly driven by the suspects.

The deputy was traveling in the opposite direction and when he attempted to turn around and pursue the suspects, he ran into a ditch. He was transported to the hospital Monday evening but is expected to be fine.

Witnesses say that as the suspects approached the intersection of Minor Parkway and Birmingport Road, they hit the Hanceville family's car. They say the car was knocked from the light at the intersection into the median.

After the collision, witnesses say that the suspects exited their vehicle and fled on foot.

Several people say they ran to the car to give aid to the occupants and also called 9-1-1. Witnesses add that they found a man, a woman and a small child inside the car. A couple on the scene says by the time paramedics arrived, the car's occupants were dead.

Accident reconstruction team officers say that a gun was recovered at the scene of the accident. They add that U.S. Marshals are following up on several leads on the suspects.

Around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, about a dozen more law enforcement officers arrived to the scene near the wreck, many of them wearing camouflage. The Birmingham Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Marshals and other agencies are assisting in the investigation of this case.

Cordova Police Chief Kenneth Bobo says his department responded to the report of the original robbery and processed the scene, but never gave chase to the robbery suspects. Bobo says the suspects stole a wallet with no money from a couple. One of the victims, a 77-year-old man, was taken to the hospital and had staples put in his head due to an injury he suffered during the robbery.

Bobo says the robbery suspects involved in the fatal wreck will at least face attempted murder charges and may be charged with capital murder in the case. Chief Bobo says his thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this tragedy.

Police also say the SUV the robbery suspects fled in and then abandoned was a rental. No official description of the suspects has been released.

A fund to cover burial expenses for the family of the tragic accident has been set up at Traditions Bank.

Donations can be made at any of the Traditions Bank to the Ryan Culwell Family Fund. Donations can be mailed to the bank at:

Traditions Bank
109 2nd Ave NW
Cullman, AL 35055
c/o The Ryan Culwell Family Fund

[Over 90 percent of the comments at the two stories I’ve so far read about this story had no mercy for the killers, though not all posters supported lynching them. However, there was one pro-killer comment I just had to copy and paste.]


Terry
6 days ago
-50

My heart felt condolences go out to all the families. A perfect example of what high speed pursuits can do especially in poor weather conditions. I hope all police departments involved pay dearly for this.

[When Terry says “My heart felt condolences go out to all the families,” I suspect that she is including those of the killers, as well. Well, she got at least two quick responses.]

smmarkfan
6 days ago
+22

@Terry: I must say that your comment demonstrates well exactly what the problem is with the liberal thought process. Sending a message to criminals that "putting lives at risk equals freedom" is the best way to encourage them to put more & more lives at risk. What they must learn is that the penalty for running from police will be immediate, painful and extremely severe.


Samantha
6 days ago
+29

Terry- you are insane. Why do the police have to pay for doing their job. It was not because of them that this accident happened. If the two men involved would not have been committing a crime then none of this would have happened. Faulting the police is the last thing that needs to happen. If there were more consequences to actions then maybe, just maybe, people would think before they act. The thugs who committed this crime are the ones who need to pay dearly. Unfortunately, the only ones who will pay, are the ones who were murdered by these criminals. Now our tax dollars (those of us who actually still work in this liberal society) will be the ones footing the bill. Terry- get your head out of the sand and thank a police officer for your daily safety. This includes the military who defend our country as well.

* * *


Police: Suspects in triple fatal accident in custody
Tuesday, October 2, 2012, 7:30 p.m. EST; updated: 7:39 p.m. EST
By Brianne Britzius
BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) -

Authorities have confirmed that both suspects in the triple fatal accident that killed a family of three are in custody Tuesday evening. A third suspect that allegedly helped one of the other suspects hide is also in custody.

Law enforcement officials believe that these two men drove through a red light Monday evening at the intersection of Birmingport Road and Minor Parkway, colliding with another car.

Three people, identified as Nicole Verus, 23, Ryan Max Culwell, 20, and their 10-month-old daughter Rogue Marie Culwell, were in the car that was hit. All three are from Hanceville.

After the collision, witnesses on the scene told FOX6 News that the suspects fled from their white SUV on foot. Authorities began a search for the two men Monday evening and that search continued through Tuesday afternoon at a home in the Ensley community.

Around 5 p.m. Tuesday, multiple law enforcement officers converged on a home located near 42nd Street Ensley and Avenue O. A little more than an hour later, officers removed two men from the home.

Birmingham Police Sgt. Johnny Williams told FOX6 News reporter Sherea Harris that one of the men was a suspect in the triple fatal collision Monday. Police allege that the second man was helping the suspect elude authorities. Harris tells us that the suspect will be taken to Cooper Green for unspecified injuries.

Across town at Cooper Green, FOX6 News reporter Karen Church shared that a source within the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department confirmed to her that the second suspect in Monday's collision had turned himself in and was being treated at the hospital for unknown injuries. Chief Deputy Randy Christian has confirmed by email that "both [suspects are] now in custody."

Law enforcement have not yet released additional information on the two suspects or the person who allegedly helped hide one of them.

Check back to MyFoxAl.com for more information as this story develops.