Man strangled by roommate for his car

DAPHNE, Alabama (WALA) - Daphne police are investigating a homicide in which a man killed his roommate over an argument about the victim's car. Police say 31-year-old Shaun Carmadelle has been charged with capital murder in the death of 43-year-old Steve McCullough.

According to police, Carmadelle wanted to borrow the vehicle to drive to Mobile to buy drugs and solicit prostitutes. When McCullough refused, police say Carmadelle strangled McCullough with two extension cords, and took off in the car.

Police were called by the victim's wife, who had been visiting with family in Texas for several weeks. McCullough's wife told police she was unable to reach her husband, and asked them to get the key from the apartment complex and check on him.

"She hadn't been able to get in touch with him for a couple of days and she contacted us if we would get a key from the apartment complex and go in a check on him," Lt. Judson Beedy said.

Officers found McCullough dead inside the apartment.

"There were two extension cords wrapped around his neck and tied in a knot. He had had a roommate there for about a week and that his roommate was missing and the victim's truck was missing, and the roommate's truck was still there at the apartment complex," Beedy said.

Police were contacted late Sunday by Carmadelle, who had only been living with McCullough for a week. Police say Carmadelle told a series of lies initially, but confessed to killing McCullough aroound 5 p.m. Monday.

"They basically got into a fight. He wanted to use the victim's truck to go over to Mobile to get some drugs and some prostitutes, and he wanted to use the victim's truck. And when the victim said no they got into an argument and he strangled him," Beedy said.

Carmadelle who was on probation for a previous drug arrest is now facing a capital murder.

According to Daphne Police, McCullough moved to the Gulf Coast from San Antonio, Texas. He worked at the restaurant at Bass Pro Shops in Daphne.

McCullough's murder is the first in Daphne since 2008.