No Bail for Birch Tree Man who Shot at House with Two Women Inside

Alex J. Boyer, Jr., 35, of Birch Tree, faces charges of discharging a firearm to shoot at a habitable structure as a persistent offender, armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with events that took place in the early morning hours of June 21. 

According to a probable cause statement filed by Deputy Keith Rader of the Shannon County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a residence on Sunset Street in Birch Tree after receiving a report of a man shooting at the house. 

On the scene, Deputy Rader spoke with a female resident who reported that Boyer had been threatening her over the phone for hours prior to the incident. At approximately 1:00 a.m., the woman and her mother woke up to discover bullet holes in the windows, siding, in the car on the driveway. There were tire tracks showing where the subject drove through the yard. 

Both the mother and a neighbor were able provide eyewitness accounts of the shooting. The first female resident was asleep during the incident. The neighbor stated Boyer actually drove by shooting two separate times, once at 12:13 a.m. and once at 1:30 a.m.

Deputy Rader and Sheriff Darrin Brawley went to Boyer’s residence on Walnut St. in Birch Tree. The vehicle in the driveway matched the license plate number provided by the witnesses to the shooting, although the plate matched the victim’s name, not Boyer’s or the vehicle it was on. 

There was no response when officers knocked on the door, and the victim stated to officers Boyer left her a message saying goodbye and indicating he meant to harm himself. 

The victim was present at the residence on Walnut St., and after there was no response to the knocking, she opened the door. Once the door was open, Boyer was heard yelling at the woman. He was taken into custody at that time without further incident. He was originally booked in the Shannon County Jail, but was later transferred to Dent County Jail due to conflicts with the inmates in Shannon County.

Deputies later recovered the shotgun Boyer used during the shooting from his brother, Jason Boyer. The suspect dropped off the gun with him at approximately 1:00 a.m. on June 21. 

Boyer was arraigned before the Honorable Sandra West in Shannon County Circuit Court on June 24. He pled not guilty. He was denied a public defender and will remain in custody with no bond at least until the status hearing scheduled on July 7.