On the morning of Wednesday, December 18th, at approximately 9:40 AM, law enforcement officers responded to a report concerning a possible deceased individual located in an alleyway in the 2700 block of Huntsville Road. Upon their arrival, officers discovered the lifeless body of 31-year-old Christopher Thomas Pierce, a resident of Florence, in the alley.
In light of the circumstances, detectives were promptly notified, and a crime scene was established to facilitate the investigation. Preliminary information indicated that Pierce had previously been seen in the vicinity of the property adjacent to the alley. Consequently, authorities obtained a search warrant for the area to gather further evidence.
Following a thorough interrogation process, two individuals were charged with the criminal offense of Abuse of a Corpse. The suspects, identified as 38-year-old Joni Renee Cummings and 54-year-old William Shane Nichols, both residents of Florence, are currently being held at the Lauderdale County Detention Center without the possibility of bond due to their prior criminal records. Additionally, a forensic autopsy is scheduled to be conducted on Pierce’s remains to determine the cause of death.