Atmore man charged in April 25 Dirden slaying
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks announced late last week that city investigators have arrested a local man and charged him with the fatal stabbing and shooting of fellow Atmore resident Desmond Deshun Dirden.
Durden, 43, died April 25, around 1:30 a.m., on a Patterson Street Apartments sidewalk before emergency personnel could reach him. According to police, he had been shot and stabbed at least once each.
Antonio Albert Crenshaw, 38, of Atmore was arrested June 4 by city police. The Escambia County Detention Center’s website shows that Crenshaw was still behind bars as midweek approached, being held under total bonds of $500,000.
He is charged with one count each of reckless murder, being a violent felon in possession of a handgun and second-degree theft of property.
Brooks said the arrest was a result of an “extensive investigation” by APD investigators who put in a lot of hours on solving the violent crime.
“Our investigators worked very, very long and hard hours on this case,” he said. “They were very persistent and methodical, and they just did a tremendous job.”
When they finally gathered enough evidence to charge Crenshaw with the slaying, they didn’t have to look far for him.
“We were close to him already,” said the police chief. “He was stopped Wednesday (June 3) by one of our patrol officers for a possible DUI. We arrested him then, for the murder and on two other charges.”
Brooks wouldn’t discuss a possible motive for the murder, nor would he divulge whether either of the weapons used in the homicide were recovered.
“I’d rather not say anything about that or what particular evidence we have at this time,” he said. “That will all be known in time.”