Baldwin County sheriff’s deputies announced a capital murder charge in February 2009 following the death of a man whose body was found near Loxley.
Investigators identified the victim as William Grunden. His body was discovered Jan. 29 on Truck Trail 17, a dirt road off Highway 59 in the Loxley area.
Charge announced by investigators
Deputies said they arrested David Game Coombs and charged him with capital murder. According to the sheriff’s office, investigators believed the killing was connected to a robbery involving a substantial amount of money.
Authorities said Grunden was shot after the alleged robbery. The report identified the location where the body was found and summarized the investigators’ account of the case at the time the arrest was announced.
Historical allegation, not a conviction
The capital murder charge was an allegation made during the investigation. An arrest or charge is not a conviction, and the account does not establish the ultimate result of the criminal case. Later court records would be required to determine whether the charge was amended, resolved by plea, dismissed or decided at trial.
The February 2009 announcement marked a significant development in the Baldwin County investigation, coming shortly after the body was found near Loxley. It also highlighted the role of the sheriff’s office in connecting the reported robbery and shooting to the capital-murder allegation.
South AL News is preserving this item as a historical local record, using careful attribution to distinguish law-enforcement statements from a final judicial finding.