Man's charges upgraded to murder in Towns Street homicide investigation

Johnny Lee Chapple has officially been charged with murder.

Chapple, 36, actually was locked up on Tuesday on lesser charges following a homicide investigation on Towns Street, located on the east side of the Vinson Highway and a few hundred yards away from the river. Now, all totaled, Chapple is being charged with murder, aggravated assault, possession of crack-cocaine and going inside guard lines with weapons or drugs.

According to investigators, Chapple was the live-in boyfriend of the victim, Latoria Waller, 30. Waller’s body was discovered early Tuesday morning in a bedroom of the home at 104 Towns Street. Waller was still fighting for her life when first responders arrived, but she later passed away at an area hospital. 

Some people from around town may recognize Chapple from the Food Depot, where he was a longtime employee. Chapple has now been arrested at the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office 15 different times. Past charges include disorderly conduct, terroristic threats, simple assault, criminal trespass–family violence, felony burglary, possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a crime, battery, possession of a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance, DUI and obstruction of an officer.