FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) — The preliminary hearing set for a man charged in the death of a formerly missing Florence woman found dead in a burned barrel was waived.
Logan Rogers, 28, was previously charged in the disappearance of Autumn Paige Strickland, a missing woman who was last seen on May 16. He was set to appear in court Monday for a preliminary hearing, according to court documents.
Rogers was first charged with attempted murder in the investigation on May 20, but his charge was then upgraded to murder after human remains had been found in the area where he was arrested.
Court documents said Strickland was intentionally hit by a vehicle twice before Rogers returned with a truck to pick the body up from the scene.
According to those court records, the victim’s cell phone was later picked up in the exact location where the victim was hit.
Jason Adams, the lead investigator, said in court that Autumn’s body was discovered in a burned barrel on his property. The District Attorney Chris Connelly told News 19 that Rogers and Strickland were strangers.
There is a video of her running down Wood Avenue and Rogers hitting Strickland with her own vehicle. He abandoned the vehicle near Helton.
Connelly said Rogers got a ride to return to get his truck on Court Street, where he then returned to get her body. Connelly also told News 19 that they are assessing capital murder charges because he circled back to hit her again.
Probable cause and the burden of proof were previously established at his Aniah’s Law hearing; Therefore, the court said the preliminary hearing was deemed unnecessary.
Before his murder charge, Rogers had a previous encounter with a UNA student on May 1, 20 days before his arrest. You can read more on that story from Shoals Bureau Chief Reporter Whitney Leibold here.
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