A night of dancing, drinking and socializing ended in tragedy early Saturday morning for a recent SFA graduate.
According to a witness who did not wish to be named, no arguments took place inside Harlon's Barbecue on Old Tyler Road, and everyone was having fun. Yet, as Michael Mott walked his friend, Ashell Waller, to Mott's car, the fun ended.
According to witness accounts, a group of men were on one side of the parking lot outside Harlon's when Mott, 24, and Waller exited the restaurant. Mott pushed his friend to the ground and ran into the street as four shots were fired. Lt. Tim Goerner of the Nacogdoches Police Department said that when police arrived just before 2 a.m., Mott was laying in the middle of the road. He was transported to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital where he later died.
According to Waller, as they reached his car, Mott pushed her to the ground (to protect her) and told her to crawl back inside the restaurant.
"I don't know who shot. I don't know (from) what car," Waller said. "I don't know who would have a beef with him."
Police stopped a Dodge Durango on Hurst Road shortly after the shooting and detained as many as three individuals. A fourth male, Nickevette Rhonshondo Carey, 20, of Nacogdoches ran from the vehicle. After an extensive search, Carey was arrested in Center by Shelby County authorities shortly after 7 a.m. Saturday on a capital murder charge. NPD were transporting him back to Nacogdoches Saturday morning.
Barbara Johnson, who was inside Harlon's at the time of the shooting, said she heard a "pow, pow" and went outside to see what was going on. She said Mott was face down in the street, and she went to see if she could help him.
"I had his blood on my hands," Johnson said, tears streaming down her face. "It shouldn't have happened to him," she said as she held Waller back inside the restaurant.
Police speculate the motive of the attack may have been robbery, according to a press release. One person inside the restaurant said he saw Mott with what looked like $300 to $400 in cash.
According to friends, Mott was known to organize parties in order to make money and may have held one of those parties at Harlon's on Friday night.
Mott was a recent SFA graduate. Originally from Houston, he played for the SFA football team and was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He also had two young children.
Ashell described him as her big brother, saying that he made sure she dated the right guys.
"He doesn't do anything wrong," Ashell said. "He doesn't interfere in other people's business. He's all about him and his children.
"He's very giving. He's very caring. He was trying to save my life."
