FAIRHOPE, Alabama—A suspect has confessed to the killing of a Louisiana man who met a violent end within 24 hours after checking into an Eastern Shore motel last Wednesday, according to Daphne police.

“The victim was strangled in his bed in his hotel room,” Lt. Jud Beedy, Daphne Police Department spokesman, stated to The Courier by email Sunday night.

James Terell Winston, 25, of Daphne, was arrested Friday at the Eastern Shore Motel on U.S. Highway 98 in Daphne where the body of Bernard Volcheck, 77, of Mount Hermon, La., was discovered between noon and 12:30 p.m., Thursday, by a cleaning staff, according to Beedy and published reports.

Winston was arrested early Friday at the motel on “unrelated charges (of) unpaid traffic fines” and later charged with two counts of capital murder, Beedy said.

“It was a quick apprehension due to Winston having the other warrants,” Beedy said. “He was not able to pay his fines.”

Daphne police first released information about Volchek’s death on Friday.

The department asked for the public’s help at that time in a search for Volcheck’s missing car—a white 2005 Chevrolet Impala that was seen leaving the motel Wednesday night on a motel surveillance video.

Later on Friday, the department thanked the public for its assistance and reported that the vehicle had been found in the possession of Winston’s girlfriend in Daphne.

Probable cause for the capital murder charges against Winston, who was already in custody, included evidence collected in the automobile, according to the department.

“In the state of Alabama if someone dies in the commission of a felony, the charge is elevated to capital murder,” Beedy said. “Winston committed the crime of robbery and burglary and Mr. Volcheck was murdered. With the advice of the district attorney's office we charged him with (one) count of capital murder for each crime.”

The Baldwin County DA’s Office did not provide an explanation for the two counts of capital murder for one homicide by deadline.

Volcheck’s wallet and car keys, which were used to take his automobile, were taken by Winston, Beedy told The Courier Monday afternoon, which upgraded the murder charge to a capital case, which carries the death penalty.

“We are not planning on charging the girlfriend at this time and we are not releasing her name,” he said.

Volcheck was in town for business, checking into the motel around noon on Wednesday, and had no connections to the suspect or his girlfriend, according to Beedy and published reports.

Daphne police disclosed Winston’s arrest and confession in a Saturday news release.

He is currently incarcerated and being held without bond at the Baldwin County Corrections Center in Bay Minette.

“While he was in our custody the evidence began to point to him,” Beedy told The Courier. “That evidence was gathered by good old police work and the hard-working detectives at the Daphne Police Department.”