Harvest, Alabama – The Republican campaign chairman, Kyle Hayden Lewter, is facing charges of murder and sexual torture in connection with the death of Derek Franklin Walls. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office reported that Walls’ body was found in a home in Harvest, Alabama after what police believe was a ‘physical altercation’ between Lewter and Walls.
According to authorities, Walls, 54, was discovered dead on Capshaw Road in Harvest, located about 20 minutes west of Huntsville. Despite an autopsy being conducted, the cause of Walls’ death has not been disclosed by the police.
Lewter, 36, was already in custody on murder charges when he was additionally charged with sexual torture related to alleged sexual abuse involving an inanimate object. The relationship between this new charge and the murder investigation remains unclear. Police suspect that Lewter and Walls were acquainted and friends.
Lewter, associated with the state’s GOP and serving as a campaign chairman for Senator Tom Butler, was paid over $10,5000 between 2022 and 2023, as per records. Additionally, he represented Alabama’s 5th district at the Young Republican Federation of Alabama’s bi-annual convention and was photographed with US Senator Ted Cruz.
In response to the ongoing investigation, Senator Tom Butler expressed being ‘speechless’ and ‘saddened for all families involved,’ while Madison County Commission Chairman, Mac McCutcheon, refrained from commenting directly but expressed surprise and shock at the situation.
Walls’ daughter, Shelby Thorson, initiated a fundraising page to cover her father’s funeral expenses, emphasizing the unexpected nature of his passing and the lack of preparedness for the costs involved. The donation page has garnered $2,400 of its $5,000 goal as of Sunday afternoon.
Aniah’s Law, which enables judges to deny bail for violent offenders, was invoked in Lewter’s case, aligning with the legislation created in honor of Aniah Blanchard’s memory. Blanchard, a young woman from Homewood, Alabama, was kidnapped and murdered in October 2019.
A memorial service for Walls, organized to be a ‘receiving of friends’ ceremony, is scheduled for Saturday at the Berryhill Funeral Home & Crematory, as indicated in his obituary. The community comes together to remember Walls and pay their respects during this tragic time.