Daniel Lamar Merit was 20 when he died on December 4, 2020, in Jackson, Alabama. A resident of Century, Florida, Merit had graduated from Northview High School in 2019 and was remembered as a multi-sport athlete with an infectious smile and a reputation for keeping the peace among friends and family.

Authorities say Merit was in a vehicle parked near a McDonald’s with his college roommate, 20-year-old Gordon Kolby Marks, when a firearm discharged during what investigators described as gun play. Merit was fatally wounded; investigators later indicated alcohol was a factor. Marks was taken into custody, charged with manslaughter and possession of a weapon without a permit, booked into the Clarke County Jail and released on a $20,000 bond.

Who knew Daniel or was in Jackson that night and can shed light on what happened in the vehicle?