Man charged with capital murder in DeKalb slaying

photo DeKalb County, Ala., Sheriff Jimmy Harris speaks to the family of Daniel Thomas Fuller on Friday in front of the county courthouse. Daniel Adam Beaty has been arrested in connection with Fuller's death.

DeKalb County, Ala., deputies worked more than 100 man-hours to track down a suspect after the discovery of a deteriorating body in a wooded area of Ider, Ala., on Sunday.

But Sheriff Jimmy Harris said the man they were seeking was already sitting in the county jail.

On Friday, Daniel Adam Beaty, 32, of Valley Head, Ala., stood for his first appearance hearing at the DeKalb County Courthouse. He is being charged with capital murder for reportedly stabbing and killing Daniel Thomas Fuller, 33. There is no bond for capital murder.

Volunteers on horseback near the Mule Day campground found Fuller's body Sunday, and it was sent it to Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Huntsville, Ala., to be identified. Authorities said the body had been there since July 21.

Police collected clues that led to Beaty, who was already incarcerated on an unrelated charge of forgery from mid-August, Harris said.

In a news conference after Friday's hearing, Harris said Beaty had "admitted what he had done" during police interviews. He told 9th District Judge Steven Whitmire that Beaty had "been real cooperative this morning with giving his statement."

But outside the courtroom Friday, as Beaty was being led in wearing a striped suit and shackles, he told reporters the killing was in self defense.

Fuller's body was found in a wooded area on land Harris said belonged to Beaty's grandmother. He described the area as being a "regular place people go drink and do drugs."

Harris would not release a definite motive in the case, but he said Beaty claimed he had a dispute with Fuller over a girlfriend. And Beaty reportedly sold some of Fuller's property and his vehicle, Harris said.

Harris said Fuller was stabbed to death with "a very large knife" and he described the killing as "brutal."

Fuller's family reported him missing to police in Geraldine, Ala., on Aug. 12 -- although they hadn't seen him for weeks. The sheriff's office joined the case the next day.

The family told police it was not unusual for Fuller to be gone for long periods of time, and police said after the hearing that he reportedly battled a drug addiction.

Fuller's family was at the hearing Friday, but members declined to comment on the murder case.

Beaty had a criminal record but no history of violence, police said. Beaty requested a court-appointed attorney Friday.

Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com, at @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.

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