Devonte Raynard Arnold, 23, of Anniston


By Ed Moore III: WLJS 91.9 FM Anchor edmoorewljs@yahoo.com

Anniston Alabama (WLJS) --- An Anniston man has been indicted by a Calhoun County grand jury in the beating death of his roommate at an Anniston hospital, WLJS News has learned.

According to court records released Thursday, 23-year-old Devonte Raynard Arnold was indicted for murder in October after authorities arrested him on September 16 for the fatal assault 47-year-old Ian Keith Merritt, also of Anniston.

Merritt and Arnold shared a room while both were patients at Regional Medical Center. Authorities say Arnold assaulted Merritt the point where Merritt had to be airlifted to UAB for treatment.

Merritt died of his injuries on September 28.

Calhoun County Coroner Pat Brown says that Merritt died of blunt force trauma. Court records allege that Arnold used his hands and feet in an attempt to kill Merritt before hospital workers found Merritt lying unresponsive on the floor of the room they shared, bleeding from his head, nose and mouth.

Arnold is being held at the Calhoun County jail with bond set at $100,000.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 19.

This report was made through WLJS News in Jacksonville, Alabama on 11/7/2013 at 5:03 P.M.