How Young People Were Pressured to Support a False Narrative
For twenty years, the truth of this case has lived inside the people who were closest to the events. Most were barely adults. Some were minors. All were frightened. Every one of them was questioned repeatedly until their statements matched the story investigators wanted to tell.
None of these witnesses face any legal consequences for correcting their statements today. They are fully protected. The statute of limitations expired long ago. The death occurred in Mississippi, which means Alabama never had jurisdiction. When a court never had jurisdiction, witnesses cannot be exposed for anything said inside that proceeding. Correcting pressured or confused statements is not a crime. The law encourages it.
Our goal is to gather sworn affidavits from every witness who was pressured, threatened, coached, or silenced. Their voices will help restore the truth that was kept from the jury.
Below are summaries of the witnesses whose original statements cleared Murray, whose later statements changed under pressure, and who can now safely correct the record.
Steve Heard
Role: Damien Heard’s uncle who overheard a phone call about stolen property.
What he originally said: He heard Jarius trying to sell a toolbox and mentioning a gun, but he never saw a weapon and never heard Murray’s name.
What changed under pressure: Investigators pushed the idea that his confusion about caliber supported a firearm theory. His harmless statement was inflated into “proof” of a gun.
Why it matters: He never connected Murray to a gun. His affidavit restores the truth and dismantles the firearm narrative.
Michael Dozier
Role: Friend present at Tonya Mixson’s house the night before the murder.
What he originally said: Murray borrowed his car briefly for a quick trip. No violence. No discussion of Brandon.
What changed under pressure: Intense questioning about drugs was used to create a false drug motive.
Why it matters: He never saw Murray do anything violent. His affidavit eliminates the State’s motive theory.
Michelle Heard
Role: Lived in the Mixson house. Owner of the jumper cables taken as evidence.
What she originally said: The cables were hers. They never left the house.
What changed under pressure: Investigators implied they could be connected to the murder.
Why it matters: The cables were never tested, were never involved, and do not match the cause of death. Her affidavit confirms the State invented a ligature theory that contradicted the autopsy.
Steve Griffis
Role: Fairhope Police lieutenant who received the Steadham gun from Murray Sr.
What he originally said: The gun was turned in voluntarily and was not linked to Murray.
What changed under pressure: His report was rewritten to imply the gun belonged to Murray or mattered to the case.
Why it matters: His affidavit corrects the chain of custody and destroys the idea of a murder weapon.
Jeff Shaw
Role: The actual person who held the Steadham gun for safekeeping.
What he originally said: The gun came from Jarius, he stored it, and he handed it to Murray Sr.
What changed under pressure: Statements were rewritten to shift ownership toward Murray.
Why it matters: His affidavit clarifies the truth and eliminates the gun from the case entirely.
Damien Heard
Role: Jarius’s cousin. Arrested for receiving stolen property.
What he originally said: Jarius confessed to killing “a white boy.”
What changed under pressure: After receiving immunity, he repeated investigator phrasing about Murray having speakers or “knowing something.”
Why it matters: His affidavit confirms he never saw Murray involved and exposes the immunity driven testimony.
Tonya Mixson
Role: Host of the party where Murray slept the night of the murder.
What she originally said: Murray was asleep at her home. He never left with Jarius.
What changed under pressure: She was threatened with jail and losing custody.
Why it matters: Her affidavit restores Murray’s alibi and confirms intimidation.
Elizabeth Mixson
Role: Present in the Mixson home during the timeframe.
What she originally said: Jarius acted alone. Murray was not involved.
What changed under pressure: She was pushed to say Murray “might have known something.”
Why it matters: Her affidavit restores the exonerating version and documents coercion.
Brooks Miller
Role: Witness who saw Murray at home during the murder window.
What she originally said: Murray was home the whole time.
What changed under pressure: She was told she would go to jail if she testified.
Why it matters: Her affidavit restores a critical alibi and shows direct intimidation.
Leon Shoots
Role: Early witness questioned about Jarius after the car was stripped.
What he originally said: Only Jarius was involved.
What changed under pressure: Investigators pushed him to add “Bubba and Jarius.”
Why it matters: His affidavit exposes testimony that was manufactured to place Murray at the scene.
Frank Wright
Role: Timeline witness during phone call with Jarius.
What he originally said: The call was around 1:15 to 1:30 AM, which places Jarius alone.
What changed under pressure: He shifted his time thirty minutes earlier to fit the prosecution timeline.
Why it matters: His affidavit collapses the entire State timeline.
Cynthia Weston
Role: Witness who saw Jarius at 6:20 AM CDT.
What she originally said: Jarius arrived alone at her house at 6:20 AM after the time change.
What changed under pressure: Investigators pushed her to say it happened earlier.
Why it matters: Her affidavit mathematically eliminates any involvement from Murray.
Why These Affidavits Matter
Putting these corrections together gives a picture the jury never saw.
Dozens of young people were pressured, threatened, coached, or silenced.
Their statements were altered to match a false storyline.
Their true accounts prove that Murray was not with Jarius, was not involved in violence, and was not part of any plan.
Our goal is simple.
Gather sworn affidavits from every witness who was pressured.
Protect them.
Document the truth.
Restore the testimony that was buried.
None of them face any legal consequences for correcting these statements.
Not now.
Not ever.