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Summary: Wesley Blake Bowen, 33, was fatally shot on January 30, 2026, during a robbery attempt while driving in Dothan, Alabama. The assailant, Michael Tywuan Taylor, 24, from Ozark, allegedly fired at Bowen, causing his truck to crash into a pond. Taylor fled but was apprehended nearby and charged with capital murder. Bowen, a real estate developer and father of two, died at the scene, reports say.
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DOTHAN, Ala. (DailyKenn.com) — Authorities say a local real estate developer died Friday after a passenger in his vehicle opened fire during an attempted robbery, sending the truck careening into a roadside pond.
Wesley Blake Bowen, 33, was behind the wheel of his pickup on Ross Clark Circle when the shooting occurred, according to police investigators. The incident began shortly before 10 a.m. as Bowen drove along the busy thoroughfare near the city's southeast side, with 24-year-old Michael Tywuan Taylor of nearby Ozark riding alongside him, apparently in another vehicle.
Emergency dispatchers fielded multiple calls from motorists who spotted the submerged truck. First responders arrived within minutes and pulled Bowen from the wreckage, but paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene due to the gunshot injury. Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd confirmed the identification after notifying family members, and the body was transported to a state forensic laboratory in Montgomery for a full autopsy to determine additional details.
Eyewitnesses at the busy intersection described seeing a man matching Taylor's description—a Black male in his 20s—fleeing on foot immediately after the crash. One bystander told officers the individual sprinted away toward a residential area, discarding clothing along the way. Surveillance video from nearby businesses corroborated the accounts, capturing the suspect's movements and aiding in a swift manhunt.
Dothan police officers canvassed surrounding neighborhoods and located Taylor about two hours later on Stonewood Drive, roughly half a mile from the site. Authorities recovered a discarded jacket and a handgun in the vicinity, which they linked to the crime through ballistic testing. Taylor offered no resistance during the arrest, police said.
Prosecutors charged Taylor with capital murder in the course of a robbery, a felony that carries a potential death penalty or life imprisonment without parole. He remains jailed without bond in Houston County, pending a court appearance. Court records show Taylor had recently completed a federal sentence for weapons violations and entered a plea deal in October for a local burglary charge, receiving three years of probation. In correspondence with judicial officials last spring, Taylor expressed intentions to rebuild his life and secure stable housing.
The motive stemmed purely from robbery, with no prior relationship evident between the two men, investigators stated. Bowen, a graduate of Rehobeth High School, built a successful career in property investment and development. He was also known locally as an avid pilot and amateur race car enthusiast, married with two young daughters.
Community members expressed shock and sorrow over the loss. Friends described Bowen as generous and approachable, always willing to lend a hand. Police Chief William E. Benny extended condolences to the family, praising residents for providing tips that expedited the suspect's capture. The department urged anyone with further information to contact investigators.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about violent crime in the Wiregrass region, though officials noted this appeared isolated.
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