MURDER AT TRENCHPORT HARBOR: POLICE CHIEF DAWSON SPEAKS OUT

By: Luther Dupress 

Editor at Large Trenchport Tribune March 28, 2025

Trenchport, AL – A grisly discovery at the Trenchport Harbor has shattered the quiet dawn of Thursday, March 27th, marking one of the most high-profile murders the city has seen in recent years.

At approximately 5:47 AM, Trenchport Police Chief Marcus Theodore Dawson arrived at the Harbor Masters Port, following up on an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Harbor Master Henry “Hank” Calloway. Days prior, Calloway, a longtime overseer of the harbor’s operations and a well-connected figure among Trenchport’s elite, was reported missing. This morning, a dive team retrieved a body from the murky waters of the industrial docks—a body later confirmed to be Calloway’s.

Standing against the rusted metal and salt-stained structures of the harbor, Chief Dawson, donned in full tactical gear, observed the scene with a measured intensity. In an exclusive photograph captured by the Trenchport Tribune, Dawson is seen crouching beside the corpse, his expression unreadable—perhaps contemplative, perhaps exhausted, perhaps something deeper.

By the time the Tribune arrived, the crime scene was in full lockdown. The signature black SUVs of Trenchport PD flanked the area, blue emergency lights reflecting off the harbor’s stagnant waters. Makeshift police barricades cordoned off the crime scene, their haphazard placement suggesting a situation moving faster than authorities could contain.

A CITY ON EDGE

Rumors have already begun to swirl about the circumstances of Calloway’s death. The Harbor Master was a figure of influence, deeply entrenched in the city's network of business and governance. His murder is not just an act of violence; it is an act of defiance. In a city where the power structure is rarely disturbed, an attack of this magnitude on one of Trenchport’s untouchables is unprecedented.

When asked about the implications of Calloway’s murder, Chief Dawson remained tight-lipped. His stance, once observant and pensive as he examined the corpse, had shifted by the time reporters pressed him for answers. Our team captured another image—Dawson standing upright, facing the press with a guarded expression. It was clear he was a man balancing duty with frustration.

“This is an ongoing investigation,” Dawson stated flatly. “The department is working tirelessly to determine what happened to Mr. Calloway. As of now, we have no suspects, and I will not engage in speculation.”

Despite his refusal to speculate, the Tribune has gathered evidence that suggests this may not be an isolated incident. Sources inside the department confirm whispers of a new criminal element emerging in Trenchport. Could Calloway’s death be tied to something larger? A power shift? A new force staking their claim in the city’s lucrative underworld?

THE CHIEF, THE CITY, AND THE UNKNOWN

Dawson has long been a fixture of Trenchport law enforcement, having served as Chief since 2016. Known for his ruthless efficiency and unshakable control over his officers, he has survived federal investigations and city-wide corruption probes unscathed. While the FBI’s recent crackdown removed numerous high-ranking officers from the department, Dawson remains. A survivor. A tactician. A man who knows where the bodies are buried—figuratively and, perhaps, literally.

For years, the Trenchport PD has operated as both enforcer and protector of the city’s elite. The power structure has remained stable. Until now. Calloway’s murder is a direct attack on that structure, a message delivered in blood.

Chief Dawson’s reaction was not one of shock. It was one of calculation. Anger masked beneath a smirk. The wheels turning behind his eyes as he processed not just the death of a powerful man, but what it meant for the order of things. If Calloway could be taken, who was next?

In an exclusive photograph acquired by the Trenchport Tribune, taken from an underwater camera used by assumedly the diving team or its diving drones the body of Henry 'Hank' Calloway is seen here in its most grotesque form. The Trenchport Tribune is unable to confirm if this was the result of Hanks murder or an occurrence after, being that he was left to degrade and be devoured in the local harbor.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

As of this morning, no official suspects have been named, and Dawson has refrained from offering any further comment. The body of Henry Calloway has been transported to the county morgue, where an autopsy is expected to be performed within the next 72 hours.

The Tribune will continue to follow this developing story, but one thing is certain: Trenchport is on the brink of something big. The city’s power balance has shifted, and even the police—especially the police—can feel it.

If this was just the opening move, then what comes next could redefine Trenchport forever.

For updates on this story and more, follow the Trenchport Tribune.