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Steven Abercrombie, 22, and Joshua Travis Etchison are both facing burglary charges stemming from an incident around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2025. According to sworn complaints, both men unlawfully entered an unoccupied storage shed with the intent to steal property.
While Etchison is currently ONLY charged in connection with the burglary, Abercrombie was arrested hours later and charged in a separate, deadly crime. Investigators say just after 8:00 a.m. the same morning, Abercrombie and an unknown co-defendant forced their way into a mobile home on Washington Street, also in Alexander City. Once inside, Abercrombie allegedly pulled a gun on 32-year-old Toyias Gopher and demanded money. Gopher was shot multiple times and died at the scene. At this time, investigators have not said if Etchison is the co-defendant in the homicide or if they suspect another defendant to be charged.
Abercrombie is facing Capital Murder during a Robbery, Burglary 3rd Degree, and Theft of Property 2nd Degree in connection with both incidents. He was booked into the Tallapoosa County Jail later that evening and is being held without bond.
The Tallapoosa County District Attorney’s Office recused itself from the case due to a conflict of interest involving one of its employees. Within minutes of being notified, District Attorney Mike Segrest requested the Alabama Attorney General’s Office take over.
“The District Attorney’s office has been fire-walled from this investigation from the very beginning and does not have any information related to the investigation,” Segrest wrote on social media.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is leading the homicide case. ALEA says the investigation remains active, and more details may be released later this week.
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