John Edward Cole (Cullman County Sheriff’s Office)
Updated 6-1-18 at 10:59 a.m. In a special hearing Friday morning, June 1, Judge Martha Williams revoked Cole's bail, Williams confirmed to The Tribune. Cole will remain incarcerated until his trial.
HOLLY POND – A Fairview man, out on bond for the Dec. 16, 2013 murder of Fredrick William Galin, 71, was arrested early this morning on a slew of new charges.
According to the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), the Cullman County Narcotics Enforcement Team executed a search warrant at a residence on County Road 1682 in Holly Pond around 7 a.m. Thursday morning and made contact with John Edward Cole, 34. Agents found marijuana, a half ounce of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a stolen .40 caliber handgun.
Cole was charged with distribution of a controlled substance, unlawful possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana, third-degree receiving stolen property and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
His bond was set at $39,800 property, and he remains in the Cullman County Detention Center.
“I am glad CNET was able to effect this arrest without incident, seize the drugs and also locate this stolen handgun. We will work to make sure the stolen handgun gets back to its rightful owner,” said Sheriff Matt Gentry.
Cole had been out on bond since April 2017, after the Cullman County District Attorney’s Office revised charges against him. He was originally charged with capital murder in the beating death of Galin, but the charge was reduced to felony murder, which took the death penalty off the table.
Circuit Judge Martha Williams also reduced Cole’s bond amount from $200,000 cash to $75,000 property. He was released from the detention center on April 25, 2017 and has been awaiting trial. Williams’ bond order required that Cole not violate any laws beside minor traffic tickets. Williams has faced intense scrutiny in this case in her 2018 bid for re-election.
Galin was found dead on the kitchen floor of his home on St. Joseph Drive on Dec. 19, 2013. He was murdered on Dec. 16. Cole and Robert Espy, Jr. were arrested on Jan. 17, 2014 for the crime. Both were indicted in April 2014.
It is alleged that Cole beat Galin to death with a pipe wrench and stole two rifles, a shotgun and a red 1966 Chevrolet II Nova Super Sport from Galin’s home.
The CCSO dive team, after months of searching Lake George, on June 12, 2014 recovered the wrench believed to be the murder weapon.
Copyright 2018 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
