Dallas Co. capital murder suspects denied youthful offender status

Two high profile murder cases involving are moving through the Circuit Court system in Dallas County.

The defendant in each of the cases went before a judge to seek youthful offender status.

Tashon Hunter is charged with capital murder. He’s one of several suspects accused in the death of 40 year old Marcus Martin.

Martin was shot and killed back in February when he got caught in the middle of a shootout while he sat in his truck in the parking lot of Walmart in Selma.

“At the time of the offense, Mr. Hunter was 19 years old. So, his lawyers did what they should. They filed a request that he be treated as a youthful offender,” said District Attorney Robert Turner, Jr.

“And Judge Pettaway in that particular case did decide to deny the youthful offender status for that particular defendant. And he will be tried as an adult.”

Turner says Pettaway also denied youthful offender status to Mikell Craig of Selma.

Craig is charged with capital murder in the shooting death of 18 year old Josh Towns of Perry County.

“And I think that that was another strong message sent by the court system,” Turner said.

“There are so many instances of youth violence, per se, you know youth that are below the age of 21. But they are making adult decisions.”

Adult decisions that could lead to adult consequences.

Turner says the cases could be ready for trial by early 2026.