On a Sunday evening in Dothan, Alabama, a dispute between two housemates turned deadly. On August 20, 2023, the Dothan Houston County 911 Center received a call around 5:05 p.m. reporting a shooting in the 800 block of S. Appletree Street. When police arrived, they found Keith Atkins, a 61-year-old Black man, lying in the front yard of a home. He had sustained a single gunshot wound to the head. Dothan Fire and Rescue personnel assessed him at the scene and determined he was deceased.
Investigators learned that Mr. Atkins had been in a physical altercation with his housemate, 53-year-old Arthur Lee Wilson Jr., just before the shooting. According to police, when the physical fight was over, Wilson allegedly began firing a weapon at Mr. Atkins, striking him. Both men lived at the residence where the incident occurred. The specific reason for their initial argument was not publicly released.
Police detained several individuals who were at the scene for questioning to understand the sequence of events.
The investigation led to the arrest of Arthur Lee Wilson Jr. He was charged with one count of murder and held on a $1.5 million bond. During a search of the residence, investigators executed a warrant on Wilson’s bedroom and located multiple firearms. Two of the guns were confirmed to have been stolen, which resulted in additional charges of receiving stolen property. Police believed one of the recovered firearms was the weapon used in the shooting.
The case against Wilson proceeded through the court system but was marked by several delays in the trial and discovery process. The situation was complicated when Wilson’s original defense attorney was appointed to a judgeship, requiring a new lawyer to take over the case.
In 2026, citing frustration with the delays, Judge Steenland dismissed the murder and stolen property charges against Arthur Lee Wilson Jr., and he was released from custody. Despite the dismissal, the District Attorney, Russ Goodman, stated that his office was not abandoning the case. He announced plans to present the evidence to an upcoming grand jury to seek a new indictment. “I can promise that this case is not over,” Goodman said.
As of September 2026, the case remains unresolved pending the new grand jury presentation. The death of Keith Atkins is considered unsolved.
