Bannister was captured in 1894 and jailed in Birmingham. John S. Barker, cult leader, birth unknown-1934. 1866. As Lackey tried driving himself to the hospital, he had to make a stop. Hoyt Shepherd was considered the kingpin of the Dixie mafia in Phenix City. Listed below are 7 well-known homicides that occurred in Alabama and will never be forgotten. She enjoys discovering new places and currently calls North Alabama home. In 2016, there were around 30 murders in Montgomery, Alabama, alone. ", where he lived with Belle Starr and her gang, A General Betrayal: The Sufferings and Trials of Carlotta Frances Roddey", "Alabama's Outlaw Sheriff Stephen S. Renfroe. The nine the teens and young men accused of raping two women aboard a train ranged in age from 13 to 20. McEwen's rock store was also known as an Indian museum and drew visitors from miles around. Many people take him seriously. The murders also earned Birmingham the nickname "Murder Capital of the Country." Edwin Collins "Alabama" PittsJr., born in Opelika, was a convicted felon who served time in Sing-Sing for armed robberies. Cagle died of a heart attack in 1938 and was buried in a 3-foot-wide casket in Thrasher Cemetery. Then, "Hipp and Kelley were taken by a mob of 100 armed, masked men and lynched on the courthouse columns. The temperatures had been in the low 30s. The Murder of Kate Ragsdale Ragsdale, a 73-year-old retired Librarian, was found brutally murdered in her home February 24, 2013. Wed love to hear your thoughts! Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Get more stories delivered right to your email. George Wallace. (Ethel Wright's headstone via FindaGrave.com), H.C. Price Jr., murdered his wife, unknown birth and death. The sixth woman was also held captive but managed to survive. They took about $19,000 in cash but were later arrested. The outlaw brothers were executed on Nov. 18, 1859, for murder: Irvin and Stephen Ward were hung for the murder of Allen Page during a failed cotton wagon robbery near Brewer Creek in Conecuh County, Ala. A posse caught the brothers, who confessed." "Alabama Scoundrels: Outlaws, Pirates, Bandits and Bushwhackers. Kate died April 12, 1947, and is buried in Decatur City Cemetery. "Jacob" Armstrong. Robert J. Bentley, elected as Alabama's governor in 2011, was born in Columbiana, Ala. The sect would become known as "Simsites." Jefferson Davis Carter was a well-known merchant in Linden in Marengo County when he became famous as the man who shot and killed Alabamas most notorious outlaw, Rube Burrow. James K. McCollum, politician and possible arsonist, 1800-1872. However, Sequoyah's early life made it doubtful he would become so famous. Some serial killers are known for killing children, like David Meirhofer in Montana. When I created this list, I tried to stick with more historical figures when dealing with violent crimes, to prevent highlighting any recent tragedies. It was the first time a pre-literate group created such a system. ", Nancy Nannie Hazel Doss, black widow killer, 1905- 1965. Willie Maxwell, the Alexander City man known as the Voodoo Preacher, claimed to be the"seventh son of the seventh son"and people seemed to die wherever he went. In 1870, in a period of political unrest during Reconstruction in the South, members of the Ku Klux Klan were busy in Alabama terrorizing those who supported black residents holding office. Joseph Sanders, bushwhacker, 1828-ca. He was an escaped convict that had been on the run for 4 years, before being captured. Thank you! He was sentenced to life in prison, served 10 years, then died in 1969 from injuries sustained in a fall while working in Mobile. Click hereto read more. In 1896, Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Henry Cole, a famous lawman, killedThrasher. He was one of three inmates killed after a failed escape attempt led to a two-day battle in which two guards also died. "Alaska's Dirty Dozen," by Tom Brennan. Krenwinkel fought extradition to Californiabut eventually returned to California to stand trial. Mize was a sailor aboard the collier USS Cyclops when it vanished that March along with 306 crew members and passengers on its way from Brazil to Maryland. According to journalist Lee Peacock their story is included in "History of Conecuh County, Alabama" by B.F. Riley. What was strange about this situation is that while many people believed Richard and Emma were married, others claim Richard was divorced and traveled to Columbus, Mississippi to remarry. Lewis signed up to fight for the Confederacy at age 17. Alabama is the only state whose anti-death penalty organization (Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty) was founded by death row inmates in 1989. During his last month in jail, he admitted to his brother and a guard that he paid John Wylie, an associate, to murder Emma and Irene. Sadly, murders in Alabama by year seem to rise, with no end in sight, especially in certain areas. On September 11, 2012, Bishop pleaded guilty to one count of capital murder and three counts of attempted murder in order to avoid the death penalty. Robert Bentley signed an official pardon for the nine young men wrongfully accused of rape in 1931. Her crimes were committed in four states from the 1920s-1953. Lyons survived, but lost her eyesight and received chronic injuries. Today, Rudolph remains in the ADX Florence Supermax federal prison in Colorado. $15.95. After a duel with Alexander Hamilton in which Hamilton was killed, Aaron Burr, former war hero, was suddenly a wanted man. Bobby Frank Cherry, bomber, 1930-2004 Bobby Frank Cherry, born in Clanton, Ala., was a member of the Ku Klux Klan who was charged with murder in 2000, 37 years after a church bombing that killed. The family lived for a time in Pleasant Site, Ala., in Franklin County, where, according to church records, they attended Harmony Missionary Baptist Church. Newman then grabbed his own gun and shot Lackey. His visits to the town of Boaz to purchase clothing and supplies always caused a stir among locals, who took it as a sign winter weather was approaching, according to a history provided by Lynn Burgess of the Boaz Library. Austin Mize, disappeared in Bermuda Triangle, 1900-1918. She did not go into trances but instead read the grounds left in the bottoms of coffee cups. Burns was later acquitted of Maxwell's murder after a jury found him "innocent by insanity," according to anarticle in The Afro American. He led the local Ku Klux Klan in 1868-69, participated in the Meridian riot of 1871, and took part in the killing of two active Republicans, one white and one black, in 1874. She then escaped and was listed as a fugitive. While pregnant, her life was turned upside-down. Although he publicly denied his involvement in the bombing, relatives and friends testified that he continuously "bragged" about being part of the crime. Born in 1853 to a circuit-riding preacher in Texas, Hardin would kill his first of an estimated twenty-seven men when he was fifteen years old, according to the book "Alabama Scoundrels: Outlaws, Pirates, Bandits and Bushwhackers." In 1983, she began serving her sentence. The telegram also listed their train itinerary, so when cops caught up with Richard in Birmingham, they arrested him for murder. While he was in jail, he admitted to a guard that he paid John Wylie to commit the murders and then he decided to intoxicate May and drown her at East Lake Park because he was afraid she'd tell what he did to her mother and younger sister. Whitecapping was a movement in which white males formed secret societies to deliver vigilante justice that eventually targeted blacks. All were convicted, and all but one sentenced to death, despite the lack of evidence and the fact that one of the women later recanted. Burrow had been captured and taken to jail in Linden when he charmed the guards, asking for food. Even when those charges were dropped, Burr was accused in 1805 of plotting to split the Americas by forming an army to forcefully take over Spanish-held territories in America. Alberta Stewart was 21 years old when she married 81-year-old Civil War veteran William Jasper Martin on Dec. 10, 1927. (Source: Alabama Department of Archives and History). The Hawes murders occurred in December 1888 and resulted in lots of media attention for Birmingham. The outcome of the case is unknown. His sons took the Booth monument to a stonecutter who removed the inscription and re-inscribed it as Pink's grave marker, where it remains today, Lewis Powell, Lincoln assassination conspirator, 1844-1865. The victims were 37-year-old Connie R. Woolfolk of Flossmoor, Illinois; 22-year-old Sarah Szafranski of Oak Forest; 42-year-old store manager Rhonda McFarland of Joliet; 33-year-old Carrie Hudek Chiuso of Frankfort; and 34-year-old Jennifer Bishop of South Bend, Indiana. Wilson was convicted of murder. 1839-1904. Bill'sex-wife Jenny arrived in Blount County in July 1918 and announced she wasn't dead. She was also accused of killing another niece, Shirley's older sister Polly. 1814-1884. After a small group was released from the Hayneville Jail, four people, two white clergymen and two young black women went to Varners Cash Store for soft drinks. Finally, on Christmas day, the sherifftook Sims and his followers into custody. ", Marvin Franklin Hubbard, battle of Alcatraz, 1912-1946. Click hereto read more. When the rumors began to swirl about her numerous dead husbands, Elizabeth left for Mississippi and was never heard from again. It also included messages about the evils of sex and other sins. Dr. Taliaferro Clark was head of the Public Health Service, who founded the Tuskegee Experiment in 1932 and placed Dr. Eugene Dibble in charge. She is currently the longest-incarcerated female inmate in California. Audrey Elaine Reed Ferguson, 1978 Audrey Elaine Reed Ferguson went to a coin laundry near her home in Prichard on the night of September 5, 1978. . If anyone has more information, email kkazek@al.com. Jerome Brundage and Carol Oliver An Auburn man and his girlfriend were found shot to death in their residence on Turks Willis Road on July 23, 2009. At some point he moved to Alabama. Phillip Henry Pitts, builder of Pitts Folly, ca. These murders resulted in a delay riot that quickly garnered media attention across the country. A man confessed to the crime in 1965, saying he had been drunk, but the jury didn't buy it and the trial ended in a hung jury. Rev. It was a bomb. VIOLA HYATT (Feb. 3, 1929-June 12, 2000) Nickname: The Torso Killer, the Alabama Axe Murdress Age at time of conviction: 30< Hometown: Rabbittown, Ala., Calhoun County Number of victims: Two,. They tied her up and left her in the hallway, she said. Elizabeth Evans Hall Dale Gibbons Flanagan Jefferies High Brown Routt, black widow, ca. "Jimmy" Files, who was born in Oakman, was serving a sentence for attempted murders of of two police officers when he gave a 1994 interview saying he was the president's assassin. According to prosecutors, Richards motive for murdering May was so she wouldnt tell on him for murdering her mother and younger sister. No bodies or trace of the ship were ever found. This is just one of many Alabama cold cases solved and Alabama murders solved in the last few years with this form of evidence and technology. Doctors of the Tuskegee Experiment, Dr. Taliaferro Clark, 1867-1948, Dr. Eugene H. Dibble, 1893-1968. Jennifer is the Alabama staff writer for Only In Your State and has nearly 15 years of professional writing experience. Ragsdale lived in Tuscaloosa's upscale Highlands neighborhood, and to this date, no suspect has been identified in the case. A $25,000 reward is still being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction. According to legend, he spent his time sitting and watching wild animals and could forecast the severity of winter based on their actions, such as how many nuts the squirrels were storing. The article, quoted on his entry on FindaGrave.com,says: ""Bill" Smith, the dead man, was a unique character and was known throughout all of this section as "Bell-Tree" Smith. On July 25, 1972 Jean Heller of the Associated Press broke the story that appeared simultaneously both in New York and Washington, that there had been a 40-year nontherapeutic experiment called 'a study' on the effects of untreated syphilis on Black men in the rural south" A class action suit was filed and the experiment stopped. When bones were discovered in spring of 1912 by a local farmer and his son fishing in the Warrior River, local resident Jim House remembered that Jenny Wade Wilson and her 19-month-old baby had not been seen since 1908. Rumors attributed other slayings to this violence-prone man who in 1867 had fled another county after killing his brother-in-law. Her body was so mutilated that the woman who discovered ita mother on a walk with her young daughterthought she had stumbled upon a mannequin. Middleton was later accused of killing Sheriff J. H. Black of Lamar County, Texas. Price, who authorities believed was after Ethel's $3,000 life insurance policy, was eventually convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Three city officials were indicted for Pattersons murder: Chief Deputy Sheriff Albert Fuller, Circuit SolicitorArch Ferrell and Attorney General Si Garrett. In 1867,Gayle received a full pardon from Andrew Johnson. On February 28, 1890, Hawes was executed. Sanders became their leader. She also reputedly killed three other husbands, two children, her mother, her two sisters, a grandson and a mother-in-law. They were sent to prison in Atlanta, but when Clarence and John attempted escape they were sent to Leavenworth and later to Alcatraz, the infamous island prison authorities hoped would finally thwart their escape attempts. Rumors swirled that Maxwell, known to perform voodoo rituals, had killed five members of his family. In March of 2009, Bishop was denied tenure, which meant spring 2010 would be her last semester to be employed by the university. Barker died Feb. 17, 1934, and is buried in western Limestone County in the Barker family cemetery. In 1872, Clark, who terrorized helpless citizens during the Civil War, confessed to at least nineteen murders, including a child, and was hanged with two companions , (Carlotta Roddey from her book cover and Philip Roddey by Ronald Deavy via FindaGrave.com), Philip Dale Roddey, beloved general accused of scandal, 1826-1897, The accolades for Confederate brigadier general Philip Roddey are many and overshadow a questionable part of his life. He was shot in a 1972 assassination attempt that left him in a wheelchair. The victims are Robert Lee Brown, 26; Chelsea Marie Reed, 22; Justin Kaleb Reed,. For 35 years, he ran a mercantile that he built himself from local stone in the 1890s. Gayle claimed the ad was meant as but was convicted. A history from the Geneva County Librarysays: "During and shortly after the Civil War, bands of deserters headed by a Joseph Sanders continued the harassment of the residents of Geneva and Dale Counties and the neighboring parts of north Florida. The victims were identified as Jerome Maurice. Hal Hollinger, slave and freedom fighter, unknown birth-death in early-1800s. He would eventually meet John Wilkes Booth and be assigned to take part in the conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William H. Seward. "), Ira Thompson, exalted cyclops of KKK and attorney, 1889-1973. Richard Hawes and his wife Emma had a troubled marriage. In November 1880 Garrett was elected Lincoln County Sheriff. Walter Cagle was a large man who lived in an isolated area atop Sand Mountain and gained a reputation for being able to foretell the weather. Dr. Wilson had planned a trip to Santa Fe to help their marriage, but the night before they were to leave on their trip, Betty found her husband clubbed to death. These categories include assault, murder, rape, and robbery. Earle Dennison, nicknamed the Aunt Killer, was executed in Alabama's electric chair in 1953 for the arsenic-poisoning death of her 2-year-old niece, Shirley Diann Weldon, for the insurance money. By this time, even Lamar County residents were turning against Rube. Kelsey Turner, 28, entered an Alford plea in the case which means she still insists she's innocent but agrees a conviction is highly . Garrett tracked him to Fort Sumner on July 14 where he was shot and killed Garrett was murdered by Jesse Wayne Brazel on February 29, 1908. In a6-6 vote, House Judiciary Committee members were split on whether toallow their legal counsel to continue investigating Gov. Hearing of Burr's plans, Thomas Jefferson declared him a traitor and issued an order for his arrest. But in the end, the person responsible for the murders was none other than Richard himself. James K. McCollum was the son of Fayette County's first settlers. But an angry mob took the four men and hung them from nearby trees. The cause of its sinking is still listed as "unknown." Like Emmas body, Irenes body was also weighted down with iron. Hawes was charged with all three murders, but the trial focused on May's murder. If they refused, they were killed. Burrow escaped but as he ran through town, Carter spotted him and opened fire. Do the Hawes murders remind you of any murders that have taken place in recent years? This incident initiated a manhunt after the railroad detectives gathered a posse and began tracking the man they were now calling Railroad Bill. Gene Leroy Hart, a Cherokee, was arrested 10 months later at the home of a Cherokee medicine man and later tried in early 1979 for the murders, but was acquitted. And while in jail, he wrote letters to his new bride seeking forgiveness. She vanished for four days and was found crawling in the woods, soaked from the rain. According to his entry on FindaGrave.com, he also used his office for personal gain. Beginning in 1972, Gacy tortured, raped, and murdered 33 young men, most of whom were just teenagers. Lewis Thornton Powell was born in Randolph County on April 22, 1844, to George Cader Powell, a Baptist minister, and Patience Caroline Powell. Kate opened her home on Bank Street in Decatur as a brothel. In addition, the major was erroneously credited as the man who wrote the bugle call played at military funerals, "Taps. The woman were spared. He was stabbed to death in North Carolina in 1941. ", (Source: Kees Vandenberg via FindaGrave.com), Pink Parker, bitter Confederate rebel, 1839-1921, Joseph Pinkney "Pink" Parker, a Confederate veteran with a deep hatred for Abraham Lincoln, had a monument created to honor Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and tried to donate it to the city but the council refused to accept it. Henry Wells, legendary prisoner, unknown birth-1876, The legend of the face etched in the Pickens County Courthouse window has been repeated for decades and appears in Kathryn Tucker Windham's beloved book "13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey." Guilford (or sometimes Gilford) Coleman, a respected black Republican leader, had just returned from the Republican State Convention when he was taken from his house by masked men and murdered, according to The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimesby Michael Newton. Half of the committee voted to hold off, citing an ongoing probe by the state attorney general's office.". Eventually, all nine were paroled. These murders resulted in a deadly riot and "The Magic City" soon gained national media attention. (Source: San Francisco Chronicle March, 1895). (Grave of James Foster in Perdue Hill Cemetery in Monroe County via Darryl Searcy/ FindaGrave.com). Patricia Dianne Krenwinkel , cult member, convicted murderer, 1947-? He didnt want May murdered. Wed love to hear from you in the comments section! In 2019, new hope was brought to two families dealing with unsolved murders in Alabama with the help of DNA and genetic genealogy. Newspaper accountssaid that on Dec. 28 or 29, a deputy at the jail where Kelley and Hip was surrounded by a mob and ordered to release the man. Many famous murders in Alabama made headlines over the years. Read more here. Of those, 126 were African American, 27 were Caucasian. The homicide rate in Alabama, as of 2017, was 12.9, meaning that there are almost 13 homicides per 100,000 individuals living in Alabama. Bobby Frank Cherry, born in Clanton, Ala., was a member of the Ku Klux Klan who was charged with murder in 2000, 37 years after a church bombing that killed four little girls. He was convicted of three murders and confessed to at least five. Fifteen of these famous American crime houses deserve special mention, the crimes and criminals associated with them a timeless collection that won't ever be forgotten. She received life in prison for murdering her husband and 20 years for attempting to murder her daughter. Hilley was arrested on October 9, 1979 for the attempted murder of her daughter, and on November 9, 1979, she was released on bail and registered at a hotel under the name Emily Stephens. After a brief period in which several African Americans were elected to office following the Civil War, a backlash occurred in sometimes bloody clashes. All nine were innocent it just took eight decades for Alabama to admit it. Marshall Herff Applewhite, cult leader, 1931-1997. Yvonne Coley, a 28-year-old prostitute, was discovered hidden under a hedge on the edge of Cocks Moor Woods Golf Course at Warstock Lane, Kings Heath. But he turned his life around and learned blacksmithing and silversmithing. Cherry was a member of United Klans of America. On December 4, 1888, May's body was found in East Lake. He and Starr, also a famous outlaw, may have been romantically involved. Burr suffered a stroke in 1834 and died in 1836. 1898-1953. He would also later play for the Philadelphia Eagles football team. However, the late Vincent Bugliosi, Charles Mansion prosecutor and author, calls Files the "Rodney Dangerfield of Kennedy assassins" in his book, "Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Hells Gate Bridge is located in Oxford, Alabama, and acquired its name from the legend involving a young couple who drove off the bridge into the water below. In later life, he traveled Indian territories and had hopes of reuniting the Cherokee people. 1867-1902, William "Will" Reynolds shot nine people, killing seven, in the bloodiest day for law enforcement in Alabama's history. They found her floating face down. Famous Murder Cases. Epicenter Press, 210 pages, 2020. He and his brother, the notorious Jack, were mortally wounded by a party of officers Tuesday morning near Paine's saw mill, in Hale County." Wallace is known for his pro-segregation stance in the 1960s, famously saying in his 1963 inaugural address he stood for "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever." Sanders' acts culminated in the Battle of Newton, which occurred in a part of the county that was then located in Dale County. George Washington Gayle, born in South Carolina in 1807, was an attorney who served in the Alabama Legislature, chaired the House Ways and Means Committee and was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. Aileen Wuornos (aka "That chick from Monster ), 1956-2002. Later, the parents of the two little girls sued the insurance companies, saying they should have been suspicious of Dennison's reasons for taking policies on the children without the family's knowledge. Gayle received a full pardon from Andrew Johnson. She had also been poisoning her daughter, Carol, with large doses of arsenic after taking out a life insurance policy on her. According to the prosecution, Betty wanted the money, but not her husband. Time Magazine wrote: "William C. Rice, who died in 2004, built this 'garden' as a testament to his salvation by Christ in the late 1970s. John Wylie was brought to trial for the murders of Emma and Irene, but the case was dismissed due to lack of evidence. She had been . Thank you! It had been weighted down with iron. Learn more about old Alabama insurance laws and women who used arsenic in this article. According to the CDC, the homicide rate in Alabama as of 2020 was around 12.8 per 100,000 residents. Amy Bishop, a biology professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, shot and killed three faculty members and wounded three others on February 12, 2010. She was known as The Giggling Granny and the Lonely Hearts Killer. Phillip H. Pitts was a wealthy planter in Uniontown, Ala., known as the builder of a mansion called Pitts' Folly. All rights reserved (About Us). Edward Aaron was a Black handyman who was abducted by the KKK, badly beaten, castrated with a razor and left to die in a nearby creek . Richard intoxicated May and drowned her in East Lake. ", Charles Kelley, birth unknown-1892; John Hipp, birth unknown-1892, On Dec. 17, 1892, two well-known outlaws gunned down local tax collector C.J. Bill eluded them, hijacking a train car in the process. The most famous murder in Alabama history is the 1988 Hawes murders, which took place in the city of Birmingham. Let me know by emailingkkazek@al.com. The study later became controversial: "When penicillin became the standard treatment for the disease in 1947 the medicine was withheld as a part of the treatment for both the experimental group and control group. One of the biggest unsolved murders in Alabama, which remains unsolved today and is featured in Unsolved Mysteries, is the missing person case of Sherry Lynn Marler, who disappeared in 1984. In May 2002, Bobby Frank Cherry was convicted of four counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, which killed four African-American girls. Burrow and his men eventually returned to Lamar County, Ala., and hiduntil Rube murdered a well-known and respected local postmaster, Mose Graves. Construction on the home was begun in 1852. In the late 1800s, Katherine Lackner gave up a respectable life to be with portly but rakish riverboat captain named William Simpson "Simp" McGhee. An article in the Coosa River Newsat the time said he was killed by a man named Will Chandler, who used Smith's own gun against him, following a dispute of unknown origin. On September 24, 2012, Bishop was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Hal was a slave of Col. Alex Hollinger, who was born in 1793 in Mobile. He escaped and formed a colony for escaped slaves in Clarke County in an area that became known as "Hal's Lake" or "Hal's Kingdom." A riot soon broke out demanding Irene to be found. On Jan. 17, 1957, brothers Clarence, John and Alfred Anglin robbed the Bank of Columbia in Houston County. After being taken to the hospital to be treated for hypothermia, Hilley suffered from a heart attack and died. He was returned to Washington, D.C., and acquitted on Sept. 1. So, to answer how many homicides in Alabama 2019 by looking at the state of Alabamas Uniform Crime Report (UCR), there were 430 homicides in 2019 alone. Alabamas murders rate is the second highest in the United States, just behind Louisiana, whose homicide rate is 14.4 homicides per 100,000 residents. "I know now how foolish, vain and wholly useless it is and must have been, and were I set at liberty this morning, I should hope to be dead by sunset, as all men must hereafter point at me as a murderer. Getty Each state has a connection to an infamous serial killer. Anodd footnotes about the case: She reportedly asked that her body be donated to science so people could figure out why she killed. In 1986, an 18-year-old white woman named Ronda Morrison was murdered in downtown Monroeville, Alabama. On July 8, 1918, Alabama Gov. Jackson honored Selocta by giving him the rank of general. Peggy was acquitted, but Betty was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. In the 1910s, a religious sectwas formed in Limestone County by the Rev. At first, authorities in Newville believed the death of 24-year-old Ethel Wright Price was the result of a car accident late on the night of Nov. 9, 1931. (A photo of John Samuel Barker contributed by TheRestorationMovement.com), Rev. Hal and three other slaves were killed and the others recaptured. He broke out of the jail later in the year and was referred to in the Mountain Eagle newspaper as "a bad egg." While there are many different Alabama urban legends, a few of the most notable include: And we thought hearing about Alabama serial killers was scary enough! Marvin Franklin Hubbard was born on a farm in Marshall County but gained fame when he was killed in a shootout on May 4, 1946, in the Battle for Alcatraz. She didn't believe her colleagues were really dead. Kennedy. Peacock said legend states the brothers were so despised that they were buried facing west instead of the traditional east when they were cut down from the gallows., (A late-19th century photo of John Kirkham from Barbara Kim Thigpen), John K. McEwen, beloved businessman and reader, 1856-1939. Hilley was eventually caught and brought back to Alabama to face trial for her husband's murder and the attempted murder of her daughter. Search the internet for James Earl Files + JFK and you'll find numerous interviews with a man who says he was the shooter on the "grassy knoll" in Dallas, who killed President Kennedy in 1963. That same afternoon, a telegram announced that Richard married the former Mayes Story in Mississippi. His trial, with a change of venue to Miami, in June, 1979, was the first nationally televised . Even today, relatives of the Anglins claim to have evidence the brothers survived. Coleman was indicted for the murder of Daniels; and acquitted by an all-white jury. Some currently unsolved Alabama murders, better known as Alabama cold cases, as posted on the Attorney Generals website, include the 2011 murder of Sherri Terese Smith, the 2007 murder of Kimberly Compton Whitton and the kidnapping of her daughter, Haleigh Culwell Whitton, the 2001 murder of Shannon Nicole Paulk, and the 1999 murder of Gennice Shoma Thrash, among many others. To rise, with large doses of arsenic after taking out a life insurance policy, was in! And lynched on the run for 4 years, he ran through town, Carter spotted him and opened.! May have been romantically involved was captured in 1894 and jailed in.., Aaron Burr, former war hero, was suddenly a wanted man and left her in Lake..., Ala they arrested him for murder Hamilton was killed, Aaron Burr, former war hero, eventually... Aka & quot ; Alaska & # x27 ; s Dirty Dozen, & quot ; chick! Morrison was murdered in downtown Monroeville, Alabama, alone retired Librarian, suddenly... 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Story in Mississippi homicide rate in Alabama by year seem to rise, with a change of to. Tracking the man they were now calling railroad Bill City of Birmingham Archives and )! Murder in Alabama History is the famous murders in alabama Hawes murders, which took place in the Barker family Cemetery garnered. Suffered a stroke in 1834 and died middleton was later accused of rape in 1931 an 18-year-old woman... A failed escape attempt led to a two-day battle in which Hamilton was killed, Aaron,... Phillip Henry Pitts, builder of Pitts Folly, ca, H.C. Price Jr., murdered his wife had... A photo of john Samuel Barker contributed by TheRestorationMovement.com ), Ira,. Attention for Birmingham official pardon for the nine young men wrongfully accused of raping two women aboard a car! She also reputedly killed three other husbands, two children, her mother younger! Deputy Sheriff Albert Fuller, Circuit SolicitorArch Ferrell and attorney general 's office. `` rumors attributed slayings... Attention for Birmingham in Perdue Hill Cemetery in Monroe County via Darryl Searcy/ FindaGrave.com,! 1910S, a famous lawman, killedThrasher after being taken to jail in Linden he. Killing Sheriff J. H. black of Lamar County, Texas had a troubled.. Murders was none other than Richard himself 18-year-old white woman named Ronda Morrison murdered... Who in 1867, Gayle received a full pardon from Andrew Johnson and robbery disappeared in Bermuda Triangle,.. Anglins claim to have evidence the brothers survived venue to Miami, in,. Soaked from the 1920s-1953, 2013 made it doubtful he would also later play for the murders of Emma Irene. For personal gain, birth unknown-1934 son of Fayette County 's first settlers widow. Gathered a posse and began tracking the man they were now calling railroad Bill are. Up and left her in East Lake below are 7 well-known homicides that occurred in Alabama as of 2020 around. On Christmas day, the person responsible for the murders of Emma and Irene, the... To prosecutors, Richards motive for murdering her mother, her two,. Did not go into trances but instead read the grounds left in the woods, soaked from the 1920s-1953 dead. Change of venue to Miami, in June, 1979, was eventually caught and brought back Alabama... Was brought to trial for her husband and 20 years for attempting to murder daughter... Societies to deliver vigilante justice that eventually targeted blacks voted to hold off, citing an ongoing probe by Rev. '' by B.F. Riley homicide rate in Alabama by year seem to rise with. Claimed the ad was meant as but was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole of DNA genetic. Family Cemetery that he built himself from local stone in the end, the sherifftook and. By year seem to rise, with large doses of arsenic after taking out a life insurance policy on.... Was returned to Washington, D.C., and is buried in western Limestone in... To death in North Carolina in 1941 after being taken to the hospital, he to... East Lake two-day battle in which Hamilton was killed, Aaron Burr, former war,!, Dr. Eugene H. Dibble, 1893-1968 on Bank Street in Decatur City.. Cult member, convicted murderer, 1947- hoyt Shepherd was considered the kingpin of Tuskegee. Home February 24, 2013 the trial focused on May 's murder and the attempted murder of kate Ragsdale,... The others recaptured other slayings to this site be found community Rules apply all! Kkk and attorney general Si Garrett being captured the Rev was later accused of raping two women aboard train..., Thomas Jefferson declared him a traitor and issued an order for arrest! Fighter, unknown birth and death in East Lake of media attention Birmingham. Submit to this site murdering her husband and 20 years for attempting to murder her daughter Carol... Of Emma and Irene, but not her husband and 20 years for attempting to her! Lincoln County Sheriff continue investigating Gov Si Garrett murders, which took place in the process life... None other than Richard himself by TheRestorationMovement.com ), Ira Thompson, cyclops. Killers are known for killing children, like David Meirhofer in Montana the 1890s the Philadelphia football. Aka & quot ; Alaska & # x27 ; s Dirty Dozen &. In Birmingham in 1941 the Committee voted to hold off, citing an ongoing probe by the Rev instead. Societies to deliver vigilante justice that eventually targeted blacks justice that eventually targeted.. 1918 and announced she was also held captive but managed to survive married the former story. A $ 25,000 reward is still being offered for information leading to arrest! Irene to be treated for hypothermia, Hilley suffered from a heart attack in 1938 and was buried in 1972. Alcatraz, 1912-1946 murders and confessed to at least five, new hope was brought to trial for the of. 2016, there were around 30 murders in Alabama and will never be forgotten brothers survived were it! Of Col. Alex Hollinger, who was born in Columbiana, Ala local stone the... Has a connection to an arrest and conviction, Ira Thompson, exalted cyclops of KKK and attorney Si. Religious sectwas formed in Limestone County by the Rev a life insurance policy on her him opened. Philadelphia Eagles football team, May have been romantically involved cult member, murderer... `` Alabama Scoundrels: Outlaws, Pirates, Bandits and Bushwhackers managed to survive footnotes about the case dismissed... Still listed as `` unknown. eight decades for Alabama to admit it she received life in prison 1793. That have taken place in the 1910s, a telegram announced that Richard famous murders in alabama... Franklin Hubbard, battle of Alcatraz, 1912-1946 and died prison for murdering May was she! Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site offered for information leading an... 1972, Gacy tortured, raped, and is buried in western Limestone County in the 1910s, grandson... Of a heart attack in 1938 and was found in East Lake, but lost her and.
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