Updated 10-17-19 5:31 p.m.
HANCEVILLE, Ala. – The Rowdy Bunch at the Hanceville Senior Center had a little fun Thursday morning with Sheriff Matt Gentry and others from the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). Knowing that the CCSO would be cooking out at the center, the sly seniors staged a “crime scene” for Gentry and the others to solve.
The “victim” was identified as “Cutty Ben Afitz” from the Social Security Administration and he appeared to have sustained a single gunshot wound to the chest. His body was found lying between the ping-pong table and the exercise bike with no weapon. The scene appeared to have been wiped clean, but no attempt was made to hide the body.
All the seniors at the center admitted to having a motive to commit the crime, but they all denied having pulled the trigger. As a matter of fact, they denied hearing or seeing anything at all. While Gentry, Capt. Ricky Blackwood and Deputy Bradley Williams investigated the scene of the crime, Major Matt Hogue searched for the weapon and found the gun hastily hidden in a decorative flower arrangement behind a cheerful scarecrow.
The Rowdy Bunch was steadfast and showed no signs of turning on the person or persons responsible. Senior Center “Sheriff” Barbara Bailey had no leads and had little information to help in the investigation. A $10 reward was offered to anyone in the room willing to talk.
The suspects were not impressed.
Cullman County Commissioner Garry Marchman and Commission on Aging Director Dusty Baker arrived on the scene and increased the reward to $20 and there were signs from a few of temptation. As the officers continued to interrogate the group, one finally cracked.
Betty Dye confessed to the crime, but she was not alone. Floellen Day quickly confessed to assisting her friend.
Dye and Day told The Tribune, “We are pleading old age and we have no remorse!”
Everyone had a great laugh and a wonderful time.
Hanceville Senior Center Director Evon Fowler said that the seniors thought of everything on their own, sharing, “This was all their idea. They like to have fun and have done pranks like this in the past.”
Fowler also thanked the CCSO for coming out, cooking and playing along with The Rowdy Bunch.
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