A 61-year-old north Gadsden man has been charged with murder in the weekend shooting death of his plumber.
Orva Kyle McDonald Jr. was formally charged Monday in the Saturday slaying of 49-year-old Douglas Dewayne Sparks.
Etowah County sheriff’s deputies responded to an address on U.S. 411 North about 7:20 p.m. Saturday after receiving a 911 call, said Sheriff Jonathon Horton. Once on the scene, they found Sparks lying in the side yard of the home. The only other people there, the sheriff said, were the two homeowners who lived there.
Here’s what investigators learned: Sparks, who worked for an Oxford plumbing company, had been hired by McDonald to do work at the home. McDonald and Sparks did not know each other until about a week ago, when Sparks was hired to repair a clogged sink. McDonald then hired Sparks to replace the plumbing at the home. Sparks had been working on that project since earlier in the day Saturday. The couple had even fixed Sparks a sandwich for lunch.
Sparks’ body was sent to the Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy. McDonald was booked into the Etowah County Detention Center pending formal warrants.
Horton said McDonald, who has never had any trouble with the law, told authorities he has no recollection of the deadly shooting. His wife was home at the time but she was on the front porch of the couple’s home and only heard the shots. Investigators have confiscated home security video that they hope will provide answers about what took place. "It’s a mystery,'' Horton said.
A judge on Monday set a $1 million cash bond for McDonald with the provision that he undergo a mental health before being released.