Officials release identity of Athens man found dead after Decatur standoff

Michael Wetzel, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·1 min read

Dec. 6—A 53-year-old Athens man died during a daylong standoff in Southwest Decatur with police on Friday afternoon, according to the Morgan County coroner.

Richard McBay died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Coroner Jeff Chunn said in releasing the identification today. Chunn pronounced McBay dead at 2:44 p.m. Friday. Decatur SWAT members surrounded a house in the 3700 block of Neches Court Southwest for several hours before entering it.

Chunn said McBay's body was discovered in the master bedroom of the house in the gated Vestavia Court subdivision off Vestavia Drive, across the street from the north end of the Decatur Heritage Christian Academy campus.

Friday afternoon, smoke was seen coming from the southeast corner of the house. Two firetrucks were at the scene.

Decatur Fire & Rescue spokesman Bobby Peavler said a bedroom and the contents in the room received "pretty significant fire damage."

"Most of the house just received smoke damage," he said. "The cause of the fire is still pending."

Decatur police received the initial phone call about a possible domestic disturbance at 8:15 a.m. Friday.

— mike.wetzel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.