Jefferson County teen gathering that ended in tragedy has taken another turn, as 27-year-old Steven Tyler Whitehead has now been indicted on one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder. Court officials also confirmed that his attorney has withdrawn from the case, leaving Whitehead without representation as proceedings move forward.
What started as a casual bonfire on October 19 at a spot locals call “The Pit” quickly spiraled out of control. According to investigators, dozens of teens were hanging out when Whitehead—who wasn’t part of the group—showed up and approached a girl at the scene. The interaction sparked a confrontation, and as Whitehead walked away, tensions erupted.
Authorities say two of the girl’s friends, Silas McCay and Hunter McCulloch, attacked Whitehead. While being punched on the ground, Whitehead reportedly pulled a gun and opened fire, hitting four people.
Among the victims was 18-year-old Kimber Mills, who friends say wasn’t involved in the fight and had been trying to help break it up. She was struck in the leg and the head. Mills was kept on life support long enough to donate her organs, but she died from her injuries two days later.
Whitehead was arrested shortly after the shooting and now faces upgraded charges following the indictment. McCay and McCulloch were also taken into custody; both were charged with third-degree assault for their involvement in the altercation.
As the case moves toward trial, the community continues to mourn Mills while demanding answers about a night that was supposed to be harmless but ended with devastating loss.
