After a nearly four-hour ride in an Athens Police car from Opelika, Jarvis Hines exited the car smiling despite being shackled.

Hines, 20, of Tanner was already dressed in his jail-issue orange jump suit when he was returned to town Friday to face a charge of capital murder in connection with the Dec. 14 shooting death of Donnell McCullough, 64.

He was arrested Wednesday night in Opelika, said Athens Lt. Floyd Johnson, after authorities there said they found drugs in his possession. Hines allegedly gave a false name that matched a false identification card. Recognizing Hines from a wanted poster, Opelika authorities sent his fingerprints to an FBI scanner, where they were quickly identified as Hines’, Johnson said.

Merlin Hines, who said he is Jarvis’ father, was at police headquarters when authorities arrived with his son.

“My son is not a killer,” he said. He said the other man in McCullough’s apartment at the time of the shooting, who told authorities Jarvis was the shooter, is not a reliable witness. When authorities arrived with Jarvis, he was escorted to the back door for booking. As Jarvis approached the door, reporters and photographers asked him what happened in the shooting. His father repeatedly warned him not to speak and told reporters to speak to Jarvis’ attorney, once he hires one.

Athens Police Capt, Marty Bruce said earlier that McCullough’s next door neighbor, whose name was not released because he is a witness, called 911 the night of the shooting at McCullough’s residence at C16 of Houston Court Apartments. The witness told authorities he, Jarvis and McCullough were in the efficiency apartment when Jarvis and McCullough began having words. Growing fearful, the witness said he went into the bathroom, where he heard shots.

When he came out, he found McCullough dead from four gunshot wounds, Bruce said.

Opelika authorities put “a hold” on drug charges against Hines so he could be returned to Athens, Johnson said. Those charges are pending.