Naman Shrestha
In 2015, the police were called to inform about the badly burned body of Anthony Gibson. His death sent shockwaves across the entire community, and fear brewed up in the small town of Alabama on the face of such a horrific sight. The episode titled ‘Candy’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Homicide Hunter: American Detective’ profiles all the intricate details surrounding the gruesome murder case of the 20-year-old victim. It also consists of exclusive and informative interviews with Anthony’s loved ones and the officials directly or indirectly linked to the investigation of the case.
Anthony Gibson’s Severely Burned Remains Were Found in the Woods
Brought into the world on November 1, 1994, Anthony Shane Gibson was raised in Harpersville, Alabama, by a single father but was not devoid of any love and support as he got them from his extended family. During his high school days, he was one of the popular kids, thanks to his passion and talent for music. After completing his graduation, he joined his family’s siding company and began lending a hand. Meanwhile, he dreamt of establishing a business of his own in the future and becoming a successful entrepreneur.
With so many aspirations to fulfill and so much life to live, Anthony suddenly disappeared on the night of July 2, 2015, after he got out of his grandmother’s house to head to a nearby store in a white 1998 Ford Escort. When nobody heard from him for three days, the 20-year-old man was reported missing. Three days later, on July 5, a group of individuals riding four-wheelers in a wooded area of Markeeta Road in Leeds found a badly burned body and informed the police immediately.
In the evening, when the police arrived at the site, they found the severely burned remains of Anthony Gibson. The investigators found through autopsy reports that the victim was shot once before being set ablaze. He also had a broken femur and severe hemorrhaging around the wound, which most likely became the cause of his demise rather than the fire. A certain amount of meth was also reportedly found in his system. Anthony’s family also set up a GoFundMe account in order to arrange his funeral.
Anthony Gibson’s Past Came Back to Haunt Him
After collecting the evidence from the crime scene, the authorities wasted no time in starting the interrogation process to nab the person/people responsible for Anthony Gibson’s death. Since he lived at his grandmother’s house at the time, she was able to check the call log and find out that he had contacted two people on the fateful night — his ex-girlfriend, Candie Zito, and his current girlfriend, Jessica Irwin. When questioned, the former claimed that they hadn’t talked in years, while Jessica told the detectives that they were supposed to meet that night, but he did not show up. A significant lead fell right onto the lap of the investigators as an anonymous tip led them to Lane Lowery, a drug dealer who was Candie’s boyfriend at the time and could be linked to the murder.
Looking to get in touch with Candie again after the development of the case, the detectives went to her parents’ house only to find her brother at home. He told them that due to her missteps and ill behavior, she was not allowed to stay inside and had been spending nights in the backyard of the house. A couple of days after a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) alert was issued for Candie, she went to her grandmother’s house in Indiana’s Daviess County in hopes of getting shelter. Instead, her grandmother informed the police about her whereabouts. After a high-speed and dangerous car chase that led to her crashing Anthony’s grandmother’s white Ford Escort into a tree, the police finally got hold of the then-30-year-old suspect, along with her cousin, Corey Zito.
Immediately, Candie was arrested and charged with auto theft and resisting arrest. However, the crash caused severe injuries to both, so much so that they were airlifted to a hospital, where Corey remained in a coma for several months. Meanwhile, the police inspected the car and discovered Anthony’s blood in the trunk. Furthermore, they even found pictures on Candie’s phone that implied a romantic relationship with her cousin, Corey. As soon as she was released from the hospital, she was taken into custody and locked up in the Daviess County Jail.
When questioned for the second time, Candie claimed that Anthony approached her aggressively on the night of July 2. As per her claims, her cousin, Corey, confronted him and shot him down before burning his body. Around the same time, Candie’s former cellmate testified that she had admitted to killing Anthony while robbing him and disposing of his body. The person even claimed that the accused was hoping Corey died as she was concerned that he would tell the police a different story than hers. After spending months in a coma, in September 2015, Corey Zito finally got out of it but had no memory of what had happened in the summer.
Candie and Corey Zito Are Serving Their Sentence At Different Alabama Prisons
A few months later, in February 2016, the Zito cousins — Candie and Corey — were formally indicted for their involvement in the murder of Anthony Shane Gibson in July 2015. Instead of going to trial, the two took a plea deal and admitted to murdering the 20-year-old victim. In return, they received a 20-year imprisonment sentence for the crime. While Corey Zito is held at Bibb Correctional Facility in Brent, Alabama, Candie Zito is serving her sentence at Birmingham Women’s Community Based Facility and Community Work Center. Both of them are awaiting their earliest release date — June 2035.
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