Local man charged with capital murder

FAIRHOPE, Ala. (WALA) - A Fairhope man is behind bars in Mississippi, charged with capital murder.

Steven Michael Brown, 54, was arrested in Gautier after police said he shot a man then set his truck on fire.

On Wednesday, this truck was spotted with flames shooting out of it. But when first responders arrived, they were met with a horrifying surprise.

Gautier police Sgt. Matt Hoggatt said, "As they were tackling the fire itself, they discovered there was a deceased person inside the vehicle."

Authorities said 61-year-old Jacob Markowitz of Biloxi was murdered.

Police said Brown and Markowitz had been friends for a long time, and officers believe Brown killed Markowitz during a robbery.

He lived in Fairhope for many years. A neighbor spoke to us anonymously and said Brown made a living buying and selling catalytic converters.

The neighbor said, "He never caused any problems for us or anybody I know. And it's hard to believe."

The neighbor said law enforcement officials swarmed to this area and searched this house.

Brown was charged with capital murder and could face the death penalty. His neighbor said Brown was a family man with children and grandchildren.

The neighbor said, "When they'd have cookouts, they'd have a good time. You'd hear the kids over there playing, and it sounded like an all-American family, no problems."

But Brown could face big problems if found guilty. The neighbor hopes it's not true.

The neighbor said, "Hopefully, he didn't do it. Hopefully, they find somebody else that did it ‘cuz it’s kinda hairy to know that you're living next to somebody that long and you don't really know, you just never really know about people."

Brown is being held on a $1 million bond.

Brown will have his first court appearance on Monday afternoon at Gautier Municipal Court.