ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – Violent deaths are few and far between on Pleasure Island.

As witnessed already in the current summer season, the Gulf is known to claim victims in its turbulent waters, but a death at the hand of another person is a rarity.

It had been more than five years since the Orange Beach Police Department investigated such a case.

In Gulf Shores It had been almost two years since April Downs was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in her driveway. Former Mobile County Commissioner Steve Nodine is awaiting his second trial after the jury couldn’t reach a verdict in the first.

Until February. On Feb. 8 Kenny Myers was shot in the head at close range by his long-time friend, Jon Christopher Washington at Washington’s residence on Marina Road. Orange Beach police filed murder charges and Washington is out on $100,000 bond.

On Feb. 21, Fat Tuesday, retired firefighter Michael Hoeft was riding his recumbent bicycle on County Road 4 east of Alabama 59 when he was struck and killed in a hit-and-run accident. Police are calling it a “traffic homicide investigation.”

After an anxious few days trying to find out the details of the accident and the vehicle, evidence identified the owner of the Ford Explorer that hit Hoeft as Melvin Dennis Hutcheson of Gulf Shores. He is currently out after making $5,000 bond.

Both cases will be presented to a Baldwin County grand jury this fall. The next session is Sept. 10-14, but court officials say since grand jury proceedings are secret and aren’t allowed to disclose what cases will be presented.

Kenny Myers

Kenny Myers had lovingly been called “The Chair Man of the Beach” and had been in the business of renting beach chairs and umbrellas for more than 20 years just over the Florida line in Perdido Key.

Myers and Washington ended up at Washington’s house in the early hours of Feb. 8 where Washington says an accidental discharge of a pistol took Myers life.

“That’s what he originally said, it was an accident,” Orange Beach Assistant Police Chief Greg Duck said at the time. Duck also said both men were under the influence.

Lt. Steve Brown of the Orange Beach Police Department said evidence at the scene led officers to charge Washington with murder.

“The wound to Mr. Myers head, he had a wound to his head, the weapon would have had to be in close proximity when it was discharged,” Brown said. “So it was a contact wound. It was in close proximity to his head. It wasn’t a shot fired at distance.”

The .22 caliber weapon belonged to Washington.

“He claimed ownership of it,” Brown said. “It had been in the family for awhile.”

Washington’s attorney, Pascal Brujin said at the time his client admitted shooting Myers, but it was a tragic accident.

“I know they’d like to spin it into something else,” Brujin said. “The gun accidentally went off. It wasn’t an intentional shooting. He admits to accidentally shooting him.”

Bruijn said Washington was also injured the incident, the was the result of Washington trying to kill himself after realizing what he’d done.

“He tried to commit suicide,” Bruijn said in the days following the incident. “It was a failed attempt at suicide. He had a graze wound on his forehead. He had to be stitched up in South Baldwin Hospital.”

Assistant District Attorney Patrick Pendergrast is in charge of prosecuting the case. Washington has been out on bail since Feb. 9.

Myers is survived by his daughter, Kenleigh, who is planning a fall wedding, his sisters, Susan Myers Gunter and Lea Drain, and his parents who live in the Pensacola area.