Murder suspect Yeiter apprehended in Texas
Published 8:05 pm Thursday, October 30, 2014
Brett Richard Yeiter has been apprehended in Texas, according to Escambia County Sheriff’s Office officials.
Yeiter is a suspect in an investigation of the shooting death of Paul Phillips, who was shot at the church he pastors Monday morning.
Escambia County Sheriff Grover Smith said Yeiter was apprehended near Amarillo, Texas, on Thursday, after highway patrol officers performed a traffic stop on the vehicle.
“He was still driving the same vehicle he left the area in,” Smith said. “He is in custody now in Texas.”
Escambia County Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said Yeiter was taken into custody by officers without incident.
“He was arrested along I-40 in Amarillo,” Lambert said. “He is now in custody and will have to go through the extradition process before we can get him back to Alabama.”
Smith said that Yeiter would have to appear before a Texas judge to begin the extradition process.
Yeiter is believed to be the gunman who fired a fatal shot that killed Phillips on Monday morning in the Sellersville community. The incident occurred at the Book of Acts Holiness Church in the Sellersville community just miles from Brewton and just north of the Florida line. At the time officers responded to the shooting call, Phillips was found shot and later died from his injuries at the scene.
Officials have said Yeiter was Phillips’ son-in-law.
Brewton Standard publisher Stephanie Nelson wrote this story.