Woman charged after underage drinking allegedly allowed at Lee County house party where teen was killed
A Lee County woman has been arrested after investigators say she allowed underage drinking at the house party where an 18-year-old Columbus man was fatally shot earlier this month.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the 800 block of Lee Road 197 in the Phenix City area on July 11, 2026, after receiving a 9-1-1 call reporting a shooting at an open house party.
When deputies arrived, they found 18-year-old Anthony Onochie of Columbus, Georgia, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest in the yard of the residence. He was transported to Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
During the homicide investigation, investigators determined that the homeowner, Amber Holly Mott, 40, was hosting an open house party and allegedly allowed multiple people under the age of 21 to consume shots of liquor inside her home.
On July 28, Mott was arrested and charged with Open House Party, a Class B misdemeanor under Alabama law. She was booked into the Lee County Detention Center before posting a $1,000 bond and being released.
The sheriff’s office said additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.
In a statement, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office emphasized that adults who knowingly allow or provide opportunities for underage individuals to consume alcohol are breaking the law.
“Adults should provide positive guidance for our young people to be successful in life; not put them at risk,” the agency said.
The homicide investigation previously resulted in the arrest of Raymond Drew Earl, 18, of Phenix City, who was taken into custody on July 27 following the execution of a search warrant in the Beauregard community of Lee County.
Earl has been charged with murder in connection with Onochie’s death and remains held in the Lee County Detention Center without bond pending an Aniah’s Law hearing.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 334-749-5651 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP (7867).
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