CULLMAN, Ala. – Tyler Dwight Dooley, 32, of Arab, was convicted Monday, May 11, on two counts of felony murder in connection with the Aug. 15, 2020, deaths of Levi Benjamin Lawrence, 24, of Cullman, and Dalton Matthew Bannister, 36, of Blountsville.
Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker and Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry are scheduled to hold a press conference Tuesday, May 12, at 2 p.m. to provide additional information about the verdict and the investigation.
The conviction comes more than five years after the shooting in the New Canaan community in northeast Cullman County and less than a month after a Cullman County grand jury returned indictments in the case.
Dooley was indicted April 13, 2026, along with Samantha Star Robertson, 25, of Cleveland, Alabama. Both were indicted on two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Lawrence and Bannister.
A third defendant, Jacob Andrew Drane, 27, of Cullman, pleaded guilty Feb. 13, 2026, to two counts of manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years on each count, to be served consecutively.
The shootings happened in the early morning hours of Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, near a residence along County Road 1854 in the New Canaan community.
The Cullman County Sheriff’s Office said at the time that a call was transferred from Blount County 911 to Cullman County dispatchers at approximately 1:30 a.m. regarding a possible shooting.
Deputies with the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office and officers with the Arab Police Department responded to the residence and found two people dead and one person seriously injured.
Cullman County Coroner Jeremy L. Kilpatrick identified the men killed as Lawrence and Bannister. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Initial information released by the sheriff’s office indicated the shooting followed an altercation involving multiple people. Authorities later connected the case to a robbery.
In September 2020, Gentry said Lawrence was the victim in the case and said Bannister was one of the offenders.
“Mr. Lawrence was the victim in this case,” Gentry said at the time. “Mr. Bannister, that is deceased, is the offender.”
Gentry said investigators determined Lawrence had gone to the residence after receiving a message from one of the people later arrested in the case.
“As we were investigating, putting the pieces of the puzzle together, this is what we determined,” Gentry said in 2020. “Mr. Lawrence had received a message from one of the offenders that we’ve arrested about hanging out at this residence (in New Canaan). So, Mr. Lawrence is there talking to his friend, Mr. Drane, at the residence belonging to another offender that we’ve arrested; his name is Ricky Martin. Mr. Martin is known to associate with people that are not the best. At this point, later on in the night, Mr. Dooley, Bannister and the female arrived at the residence…Mr. Lawrence realized that these people are not who you want to be around. Mr. Lawrence told them that he was going to leave. As Mr. Lawrence attempted to leave, Bannister and Dooley had predetermined that they were going to rob Lawrence of his possessions. These individuals are known throughout those communities to do those of kind of things.”
Gentry said Lawrence was confronted as he tried to leave.
“As Mr. Lawrence attempts to leave, he’s confronted by an armed suspect, Bannister, at which time Mr. Lawrence was also armed and an altercation occurs and there is rounds that are exchanged,” Gentry said. “After the gunfight, Dooley flees the scene, leaving Bannister and the female on the ground.”
Robertson, who was hospitalized after the shooting, was later identified as the female who was shot. She was charged in September 2020 and later indicted in April 2026.
Drane was originally charged with murder in the case before pleading guilty earlier this year to two manslaughter counts.
Crocker and Gentry are expected to provide additional information Tuesday about the verdict, the investigation and the next steps in the case.
This story will be updated following the press conference.
Previous Tribune coverage:
2 indicted in connection with 2020 Cullman County double homicide; 1 pleads guilty: www.cullmantribune.com/2026/04/16/2-indicted-in-connection-with-2020-cullman-county-double-homicide-1-pleads-guilty
3rd person now charged with murder in New Canaan shooting death: www.cullmantribune.com/2020/09/08/3rd-person-now-charged-with-murder-in-new-canaan-shooting-death
2nd man now charged with murder in New Canaan shooting death: www.cullmantribune.com/2020/08/20/2nd-man-now-charged-with-murder-in-new-canaan-shooting-death
2 dead, 1 injured in shooting in Cullman County: www.cullmantribune.com/2020/08/15/2-dead-1-injured-in-shooting-in-cullman-county
