Uncover the harrowing details of the Popeyes Chicken murders—a case that has haunted a community since a storm-riddled prom night in 1994. Journey with us as we piece together the chilling sequence of events, from the power outages that led young employees to seek an early end to their shift to the unexpected roster change that placed Tamika Collins at the scene. Corrected misconceptions about manager Darrell Collier's first day set the stage for a deeper understanding of the crime, committed by insider Temoc Paraita and Robert Bryant Nelson. Contributions from survivor Brian Archer, the manager's sister Dawn Ward, and officers on the case like Lane Keener, who provides a vivid recollection of the crime scene, and Randy Phillips, who shares a private briefing, enrich our narrative with their personal and poignant insights.
As we mark the 30th anniversary of this tragedy, we honor the victims' legacies, striving to remember them for the lives they led—not just their tragic demise. With co-host Shawn Tucker, we reflect on the absence of a memorial, the community's quest for healing, and the survivor's journey to recovery. Through shared stories and support, this episode of "Murder in Your Backyard" not only holds space for the memory of those lost but also casts a light on the broader context of unsolved cases in Alabama, particularly in Etowah County. Thank you for joining us in this profound remembrance and ongoing search for justice.
Uncover the harrowing details of the Popeyes Chicken murders—a case that has haunted a community since a storm-riddled prom night in 1994. Journey with us as we piece together the chilling sequence of events, from the power outages that led young employees to seek an early end to their shift to the unexpected roster change that placed Tamika Collins at the scene. Corrected misconceptions about manager Darrell Collier's first day set the stage for a deeper understanding of the crime, committed by insider Temoc Paraita and Robert Bryant Nelson. Contributions from survivor Brian Archer, the manager's sister Dawn Ward, and officers on the case like Lane Keener, who provides a vivid recollection of the crime scene, and Randy Phillips, who shares a private briefing, enrich our narrative with their personal and poignant insights.
As we mark the 30th anniversary of this tragedy, we honor the victims' legacies, striving to remember them for the lives they led—not just their tragic demise. With co-host Shawn Tucker, we reflect on the absence of a memorial, the community's quest for healing, and the survivor's journey to recovery. Through shared stories and support, this episode of "Murder in Your Backyard" not only holds space for the memory of those lost but also casts a light on the broader context of unsolved cases in Alabama, particularly in Etowah County. Thank you for joining us in this profound remembrance and ongoing search for justice.
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Joseph Cramer:
Hi and welcome to the new Murder in your Backyard podcast. I'm here with my co-host, sean Tucker. Today we'll be talking about the Popeyes Chicken 1994 murders. There were four people involved. That included 17-year-old Brian Archer, nathaniel Baker, who was also 17, daryl Collier, the 21-year-old store manager, and Tameka Collins, the 18-year-old assistant manager.
Joseph Cramer:
So this was a prom night. It was heavily downpouring outside. The 17-year-olds wanted to leave because the store kept flickering on and off power so they couldn't even really make a lot of chicken. Everything just kind of kept going on and off and they kept asking the store manager and the assistant manager if they could leave. They said there was probably maybe four or five customers all night. There wasn't many at all. There was a little bit of schedule changing. There's been a lot of back and forth so I do want to clarify that, as far as I know, the only person whose schedule was changed was Tamika Collins. Originally she wasn't supposed to be there but being that someone else had to go to prom that night, her schedule was changed beforehand. She was on the schedule the night that it happened, but originally she wasn't supposed to be there. As far as I know, everything else was orderly and supposed to be the same way that it was brought in Daryl had just started. That wasn't his first day. That's another speculation. People and guests can still believe that he had just started that day. He did start that week, I believe, but it wasn't the day of the event.
Joseph Cramer:
So we're just going to start with the remainder of the story. I'll kind of tell a little briefing on what happened. They went to take the garbage out. As they closed the store, as they got to the end, in the back door, nathaniel Baker was taking out the trash. Darrell Collier had opened the back door and as he opened the back door, two assailants came in, one with a gun in hand. One of them's name was Tomok Pereta and the other one's name was Robert Bryant Nelson. As they came in, they took the people into the office, stole $2,100 in cash, took them to the freezer and the shooting began.
Joseph Cramer:
I'm not going to go into too much detail because I'm going to let the people tell their story. So as they shot the people, or the victims, they made their exit out the back door. And behind this introduction here I will have statements from Brian Archer, who was the only survivor, and also Don Ward, who was the store manager's sister Statements from responding officer Lane Keener and we'll have statements and Q&A from Scott Hilton, who was the Eagle Rock Boys Ranch owner and founder, and he tried to take Parade in before the events happened but stuff just didn't work out the way he wanted. It didn't come to be.
Shawn Tucker:
Well, Joe, did the victims know the killers?
Joseph Cramer:
Pareto was actually a worker. He worked there as far as my understanding is. He worked there about two weeks, cased the place out, got to know the ins and outs of the business. As he closed he saw that the back door was being used as the place to to make entry if he needed to come in. He also saw where the drops were going, the money drops, and how to gain access to the the money at night.
Shawn Tucker:
So he took that to his advantage to get in the store and I think, if I remember reading the story correctly, the cops were able to identify the suspects with the they had left a shoe print.
Joseph Cramer:
That's correct. Right beside the at the time in 94, there was a Taco Bell right beside the Popeye's Chicken. So in the middle of that there's a water slough and the assailants, as the water fell down, they were standing in that slough as they came in. They'd actually eaten at the Taco Bell beside it fell down. They were standing that slew as they came in that actually eaten at the top of bail beside it. So as they came in there was a shoe print left inside of the water slew there and they were actually able to pour a mold. That mold left a full-on print. So when they were apprehended later on they took that print and as I lifted it they could tell that that was right Nelson shoe print.
Shawn Tucker:
I, I hope and assume that they still would have caught them, but it probably would have been harder without that.
Joseph Cramer:
That shoe print I think it would have been. It would have been easy to identify pareto because pareto was the worker that had been there. Bryant archery gave his account that pareto was there that night and just knowing that he had that identifying haircut through bryant's testimony he he was able to be apprehended and they could tell that was him. But without that shoe print I don't think they would have known right away. That was Nelson. Nelson was in the vehicle but he claimed that he wasn't there and Parade also turned around and claimed that Nelson was picked up. Later he dropped off another blackmail and picked up Nelson, and then Nelson just happened to be in the car.
Shawn Tucker:
Okay, so that that shoe print got melson. Okay, okay, um, and then, uh, how? How were they apprehended?
Joseph Cramer:
as they were leaving parada's house. They pulled up and and were able to get the suspects. The reason they were able to get them so quickly they picked them up later that night. I think it was in that within an hour or two bryant's testimony brought archer's testimony was that well, he gave them the answer straight up. As soon as they entered the popeye's chicken. He told him what the car making model was, which was a 1980s monte carlo. So they, they went pretty much right to his address and in rainbow city, and rainbow city police apprehended them rather than gadsden. Gadsden didn't find out that it was a car. They had a bolo out for that vehicle okay, okay.
Shawn Tucker:
And then you said shots were fired. So they like what I'm trying to get here. The way it's been presented to me and described it looked like it was a robbery. Why go back in and kill these people, murder these people? It's senseless.
Joseph Cramer:
I don't think Pareto's. I couldn't say that parada wanted to kill him. He could have, but I would. I would think that parada was in it for the robbery itself. I don't know if he even knew that melson was going to kill him. He knew melson had a gun. I believe the gun belonged to parada, as far as I know from reading it, but I also think that parada being a 17 year old male, I don't know if he was quite there where he wanted to come in and just kill these people in cold blood. He may have just wanted to take the money and get out, but unfortunately, as the door closed and reopened, shots began coming through and unfortunately killed these three people and hurt Brian Archer.
Shawn Tucker:
And did the victims know these people outside of Popeyes, or was it just working with them?
Joseph Cramer:
Tamika Collins. She was a Gaston State Community College student. So she, as far as my understanding, she may have known Bryant and Melson, because I've heard from someone else who knew both of them that he kind of flirted with her and he knew Bryant also. But as far as Bryant, melson and Tamika I'm not totally sure. But it's possible that they knew each other. Couldn't tell you for sure.
Shawn Tucker:
Okay, and were there any statements from the police about the murder?
Joseph Cramer:
We'll be hearing from Officer Lane Keener also in this podcast, any statements from the police about the murder. We'll be hearing from Officer Lane Keener also in this podcast and he goes on to tell about some distinctive memories he had as he entered the building and some of the stuff he got to see and do and what went on throughout the night as the events unfolded. I did speak with Officer Randy Phillips also, but I didn't get any kind of audio or video. He told me more of his statements would more so do damage or hurt the family more than what they needed to hear. So we just cut everything off and he gave me a briefing on everything that went on that night.
Shawn Tucker:
With that being said, I assume that they closed this business. Is this Popeye's still there?
Joseph Cramer:
Popeye's is still there. The Popeye's has been rearranged. They took the freezer out. It's been remodeled heavily but the inside of the building is pretty much the same as it was back in 94. Actually I ate there for the first time after I interviewed Brian Archer, he told me, just because something happened and just because tragic events unfolded the way they did, it wasn't Popeye's fault that this was done. It was the fault of these two individuals that made this not happen. But he has no hurt against Popeye's, I guess you would say. He said it's still a great place to eat. So as soon as I got done I jumped in the truck and I went straight to Popeye's. It was a great place to eat. But I did want to kind of see the insides and outsides of the buildings and see kind of what might have taken place.
Shawn Tucker:
Since you knew, you know this incident and you know what had happened and all that, was there a bit of eeriness or anything when you went in there, Because you know, like, if it's me and I don't know anything right, and I go into this Popeye's and I get some food, I don't know, you know, I don't know anything. But since you knew the history, was there a little bit of like eerie-ness for you.
Joseph Cramer:
Well, I saw on television I was maybe 9 or 10 years old at this time, 94, it kind of freaked me out seeing two assailants. You know, yeah, been on the run, that's all I knew. You know, looking back it just kind of. It's just kind of terrifying. At that time, as I've gotten older and meeting archer and making my way into five eyes, I wouldn't say there was eeriness, but just the seeing what could happen. You happened while I was there. Your mind shifts to what happened in 94, and you see it through different eyes, especially after talking to these people about it, not really reliving it. And I did ask questions to people that were working there, but it was just kind of shunned off or thrown off and they couldn't tell me much about it.
Shawn Tucker:
It was just kind of shunned off or thrown off and they couldn't tell me much about it and I don't know if you know, 94 was what 20 years ago now 30. 30? 30 years ago, 30 years ago, yeah, so it was 30.
Joseph Cramer:
We actually just met the anniversary of the 30th last month, oh wow. So this is the 30th anniversary of the 5i shoot.
Shawn Tucker:
Okay, so I would assume the franchisee owner um, is he still around? Is it the original owner of that popeyes?
Joseph Cramer:
and one of my statements from bryant. I believe that the owner has passed away. I'm not sure if that was in one of the interviews that I did with him. He has since passed and I don't think he lived much longer than the original shooting.
Shawn Tucker:
And I believe you were also telling me that, bryant, it was very tough on him after, right that, like you know, he was in the hospital and he had a long road to recovery right, that's correct. And that it was not everything. His medical expenses were not, he only got a little bit of money.
Joseph Cramer:
He didn't get much of anything. He's still had a lot of issues from that. It's just a horrible, senseless chain of events, not only for him but also these other families that they've had to endure throughout the years. I've tried to reach out to some of these people, like to make a Collins family. I hadn't heard back, but I do know that since Nelson has been executed in prison, they I think they that was a closure for them, I believe you know, and I read that in the papers at one time. So, seeing that closure for them it's not really a continuation or open, trying to open scars with this story. It's more of a way. I know archer still wants to get this out there and every once in a while the guests and times will post something every 10 to 15 years. You know what kind of memory is that for? For, you know, for those people I mean, yeah, it's, it's not scars, it's, you know, memories.
Shawn Tucker:
And speaking of remembering, you know, like the blockbuster murder in Anniston and of course they closed that blockbuster down but they had a memorial there to the victims. Is there a memorial to the victims of this Popeyes?
Joseph Cramer:
No, there isn't. I know back at 94, directly after it happened, there was a sign out there and it said specifically sorry to the loss of these families or something of that nature. There's nothing now. I mean you can't, you can just pass it day to day and you would never even know anything happened there. So it's far beyond tragedy.
Shawn Tucker:
It's hurt several people. Do you think it's just because I don't know? I guess I guess the owner didn't think, because I guess whoever owns the building would be the one putting the memorial there. So I guess maybe he didn't want to.
Joseph Cramer:
I couldn't speak on his behalf. I'd like to be able to say or even contact him, but I couldn't speak on his behalf.
Shawn Tucker:
So from there it'd just be us assuming and theorizing, right, correct. The other thing I wanted to get back to was wasn't there some? And I guess when you're in prison and you're on death row, you're gonna kind of change your story maybe a little bit, or and all that, wasn't there a little bit different? You know, between the two suspects, like like going back and saying, oh, it wasn't me, it was actually him who parada.
Joseph Cramer:
Parada never said he did or didn't break. Parada himself wasn't the shooter. But parada did turn around and say that melson wasn't the guy he picked up that night, as his first two statements were yes, I picked him up, he was the shooter, yada, yada yada. He turned around and changed his statement, I guess to try to relieve him and get him at least back to maybe where he can get a conviction of life in prison rather than a death sentence.
Shawn Tucker:
A death sentence, but they had his shoe print so he was obviously.
Joseph Cramer:
Yeah, he was there. You can't deny those statements, even though his statements and his claims were all the same and his attorneys were firing back that the cops had done this and maybe they framed his shoe prints, you know.
Shawn Tucker:
But also the victim was. Who survived was like no, yeah, they were both there, right.
Joseph Cramer:
He couldn't fully say at the time because they had masks over the face. He didn't know. Pareto had the shave and he could tell, but I think as far as I know it was like a black guy. But the shoe print doesn't lie, that's set in stone. So one in a million. You don't hardly ever see that in a case.
Shawn Tucker:
Okay one in a million, you know, yeah, you don't hardly ever see that in the case. Okay, so, and then I think also the a part of the, the whole story, that that I had read too was um, uh, I'm trying to remember, forgive me, I forget the name. There's parada, and who's the other guy right? Melson, melson, melson, um, he's the one who would harass right Years later, would call up and harass the family.
Joseph Cramer:
No, that was Pareda Pareda would do that so. Bryant-melson's already been executed.
Shawn Tucker:
Yeah, okay.
Joseph Cramer:
Pareda was 17 years old at the time this happened also, so he was at the same age as Nathaniel Baker and Bryant-Archer.
Shawn Tucker:
Oh, sorry to interrupt you, you there, but that also cuts into. They were the first ones right to be tried. There was a new alabama law right so him being 17.
Joseph Cramer:
That week they had just passed a law that teenagers could be tried as adults. That set him in motion to be tried as an adult, which landed him in prison for this crime and gave him the sentence of life in prison, which he got life in prison because, for one, he wasn't the shooter and he was 17,. So I guess they convicted him on that sentence, but that's where it stood. So Pareto got life. Brant Nelson, the shooter yeah, the death penalty.
Shawn Tucker:
And then he would bother.
Joseph Cramer:
The Pareto would call and bother harass Pareto, would harass some of the victim's families and kind of reach out and do stuff. I want to let Archer tell his story more about that. Okay, Because some of these guys I don't want to take anything from them because this is their life and I just kind of want to tell tidbits and kind of get the ball rolling on the story. I want Scott to be able to tell more about Parada and Lane Keener to be able to tell about coming to the scene and what he saw and experienced throughout. And also Brian, you know, just keep him in your prayers and be able to hopefully write a book one day. That's what he would like to do. Have none on his end.
Shawn Tucker:
And then, especially since we don't, well, even if we did have a memorial, just keep the victims' memories alive, and your thoughts, and also that this murder doesn't define their lives. There's more to them than just this event. They were humans with hopes, hopes, dreams and emotions and all that, and deserve to be remembered for for who they were.
Joseph Cramer:
And with Murder In Your Backyard, I want to keep this flowing because there's several people, not only that, have been massacred or murdered, stabbed or shot. There's also people missing. There's several of them, not only throughout the nations, but here in Alabama and right here in Calhoun and, Etowah county. So I'm hoping through this, we can also maybe find some of those people right now. This, this main interest. I want to stay with Popeye's and Bryant archer and his story and hopefully get this to anyone who will listen. Yeah, hopefully so. So, thank you so much for the first podcast of Murder In Your Backyard. I'm Joseph Cramer, I'm Shawn Tucker. You guys have a good night.