Former Teacher Gets Charged With Capital Murder For Gunning Down 11-Year-Old In A Turkey-Hunting Accident
Dec 23 2020, 12:14PM EST
A former middle school teacher from Alabama, who was accused of killing a student in a Turkey hunting accident in Jefferson County was slapped with upgraded criminal charges on Friday.
Joshua Stewart Burks, 36 was initially facing charges of reckless manslaughter after his bullet fatally pierced through Troy Ellis, an 11-year-old student. Now, he faces upgraded charges to capital murder of a person below 14 and was released on Friday after posting a $60,000 bond.
The fateful incident occurred at around 9 a.m. on May 1 at an event curated by a group, America’s Heroes Enjoying Recreation Outdoors. The group hosts various hunts for wounded veterans like Burks, where The Cahaba Elementary School fifth-grader and his father Obed Ellis was present.