famous murders in alabama

In June 1962, the two Anglin brothers, accompanied by Frank Morris, escapedthe island on a raft made of raincoats and their fates after that are unknown. After his release he petitioned to play pro baseball and eventually played for the Albany Senators. The late Alabama author Kathryn Tucker Windham wrote about Teel in her book, "Alabama: One Big Front Porch," saying Teel was born with a caul, a membrane over her face that many people believed meant the child had a sixth sense. Aileen Wuornos (aka "That chick from Monster ), 1956-2002. She enjoys discovering new places and currently calls North Alabama home. 1867-1902, William "Will" Reynolds shot nine people, killing seven, in the bloodiest day for law enforcement in Alabama's history. However, the case, was dismissed in December. After six months with no leads or suspects, their attention focused on Walter McMillian. While frightening in its fervor, the collection is an example of folk art at its most primitive. One article from 1894 said Bannister was wanted in Cleburne County for shooting off the leg of a "Mrs. Cotton," and brutally beating Old Man Cotton. In 1915, Judge J.E. On February 28, 1890, Richard Hawes was executed. 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." On April 22, 1889, the Hawes trial began at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Let me know by emailingkkazek@al.com. Burrow escaped but as he ran through town, Carter spotted him and opened fire. The day of the shooting, students claimed she seemed perfectly normal. Alaska is no stranger to violent crime. Only Fuller was convicted. This incident initiated a manhunt after the railroad detectives gathered a posse and began tracking the man they were now calling Railroad Bill. 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. According to the book"Escape from Alcatraz"by J. Campbell Bruce, Hubbard ended up at Alcatraz Island in 1944, after kidnapping a Chattanooga police officer and stealing his Tommy gun, escaping from a county jail and taking part in a riot at the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. (Ethel Wright's headstone via FindaGrave.com), H.C. Price Jr., murdered his wife, unknown birth and death. John McEwen was born and died in Coosa County, and in between was a well-known businessman. 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. 1898-1953. Born in Rockford in Coosa County, Teel, a devout Christian, later moved to Millerville in Clay County and developed a reputation for helping people find misplaced objects or wayward livestock. Beginning in 1972, Gacy tortured, raped, and murdered 33 young men, most of whom were just teenagers. The victims are Robert Lee Brown, 26; Chelsea Marie Reed, 22; Justin Kaleb Reed,. As authorities searched his car, they found his .38 caliber handgun. Some occurred centuries ago, many occurred decades ago, and a few have occurred in recent years. If youre a fan of the long-running series Unsolved Mysteries, you might notice that Alabama has been the focus of multiple episodes since its release in 1987. Click hereto read more. Emma was an alcoholic and May, the oldest daughter, was forced to care for her younger sister and brother, Irene and Willie. 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. Joseph Sanders, bushwhacker, 1828-ca. Robert Bentley, embattled current governor, 1943-?? The sixth woman was also held captive but managed to survive. Do the Hawes murders remind you of any murders that have taken place in recent years? Residents were lashed for such offenses as "loose talk and toting a hip flask," according to a 1928 article in Collier's magazineentitled "The Whip Wins." Hawes was an engineer for Georgia-Pacific and reportedly killed his family so he could marry Mayes Story. In 2019, there were 43 Montgomery County murders alone. In 1976, Clarence Norris, the only one living at the time, was pardoned by then-Gov. 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. One of the most famous true crime books was written about the case, titled "Blood and Money," which in turn inspired a 1981 TV movie, "Murder in Texas," starring Sam Elliott, . In recent news, there was a rise in the reward for the 1991 murder of Elizabeth Spence, who is one of the many unsolved murders Montgomery, Alabama. Many witnesses came forward claiming Betty wished her husband was dead. The well-invested legacy left by her father had made her rich and she didn't know the man who introduced her to everyone as his wife was a bigamist and adulterer. (A photo of John Samuel Barker contributed by TheRestorationMovement.com), Rev. (Grave of James Foster in Perdue Hill Cemetery in Monroe County via Darryl Searcy/ FindaGrave.com). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Nannie Doss, born in Blue Mountain in Calhoun County, died in an Oklahoma prison after being convicted of killing her husband Samuel Doss in 1953 in Oklahoma. After a brief period in which several African Americans were elected to office following the Civil War, a backlash occurred in sometimes bloody clashes. Wyatt Tate of Monroe County was an outlaw who murdered Sheriff J.D. 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. Kennedy. 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. She is thought to have killed two other children but denied it. 1814-1884. Today, a monument of a soldier with both U.S. and Confederate flags honors the county's dual history. All rights reserved (About Us). In 1896, Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Henry Cole, a famous lawman, killedThrasher. But they insisted on having the last word about their former son-in-law and inscribed her headstone: Murdered By Her Husband. Robert J. Bentley, elected as Alabama's governor in 2011, was born in Columbiana, Ala. Roddey married the much younger Carlotta Frances Shotwell, who thought she was making a brilliant match. Cherry was a member of United Klans of America. Ira Bowman Thompson was a distinguished Alabama attorney and politician who served in World Wars I and II. When I created this list, I tried to stick with more historical figures when dealing with violent crimes, to prevent highlighting any recent tragedies. Some serial killers are known for killing children, like David Meirhofer in Montana. 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. Many famous murders in Alabama made headlines over the years. 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. The lake was drained and Irenes body was found approximately 30 feet from Emmas. This was the question on everyones minds. On December 4, 1888, two boaters, John Keith and Ben Culbalson, discovered the body of a young white female in East Lake. "Now, this place is very desolate, no one lived near there. 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,. In a6-6 vote, House Judiciary Committee members were split on whether toallow their legal counsel to continue investigating Gov. Alabama: The Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing (1963) Source: O'Halloran, Thomas J. On May 3, 1889, after deliberating for only 55 minutes, the jury decided that Richard deserved the death penalty. The legend of Railroad Bill began in the winter of 1894 when railroad employees began noticing a vagrant illegally riding the trains on the L&N Railroad line in southern Alabama near the Florida line. After being taken to the hospital to be treated for hypothermia, Hilley suffered from a heart attack and died. Hart was raised 2 miles from Camp Scott. From 1927-1976 there were 153 executions. According to legend, Elizabeth and one or more of her husbands are buried in the cemetery adjoining the ruins of the mansion. After draining the lake, Irene's body was discovered. Remember, while the word notorious often has negative connotations, the definition is broader: generally known and talked of; especially widely and unfavorably known.. McEwen was known for his uncanny "readings" of visitors to his store. Rhonda Bell Martin, black widow, 1907-1957. The local history stated that Cagles weight gain began in 1917 after he suffered a strange fever, called a sleeping sickness by locals. According to his entry on FindaGrave.com, he also used his office for personal gain. Charles Henderson pardoned Wilson and he was released from jail. "), Ira Thompson, exalted cyclops of KKK and attorney, 1889-1973. McEwen's rock store was also known as an Indian museum and drew visitors from miles around. Edwin Collins "Alabama" PittsJr., born in Opelika, was a convicted felon who served time in Sing-Sing for armed robberies. 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. His trial, with a change of venue to Miami, in June, 1979, was the first nationally televised . Robert Bentley signed an official pardon for the nine young men wrongfully accused of rape in 1931. He was stabbed to death in North Carolina in 1941. Two years prior to this event, Rudolph had attempted to shut down the 1996 Summer Olympics by bombing Atlanta's Centennial Park. Hearing of Burr's plans, Thomas Jefferson declared him a traitor and issued an order for his arrest. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! 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. Read all the AL.com coverage of the Bentley scandal here. Whats even more terrible is when it occurs close to home. Sadly, the following day, Emmas beaten body was discovered in Lakeview Park Lake. They found her floating face down. They took about $19,000 in cash but were later arrested. The Chairman and Board are at Holman on death row. "Alaska's Dirty Dozen," by Tom Brennan. The guards didnt know he had a gun in his food sack. Rumors attributed other slayings to this violence-prone man who in 1867 had fled another county after killing his brother-in-law. The tale was repeated in Kathryn Tucker Windham's "13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey. Although she was never charged with the deaths of her husbands, she became known as the Black Widow of Hazel Green. According to the CDC, the homicide rate in Alabama as of 2020 was around 12.8 per 100,000 residents. Men could come to Miss Kate's Place any night of the week to enjoy the company of women for a fee - except Thursdays. Rumors swirled that Maxwell, known to perform voodoo rituals, had killed five members of his family. Only the testimony of James White. His ex-wife claimed he lit the fuse. She then escaped and was listed as a fugitive. The 6-foot, 2-inch man soon grew to more than 560 pounds, too large to handle his farm work. 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. It also included messages about the evils of sex and other sins. William Martin died in 1931 at the age of 86 and, as Alberta became known as the "last surviving Civil War widow" a title later challenged by Maudie Hopkins. The Rev. If anyone has more information, email kkazek@al.com. After the blast in Birmingham, Rudolph immediately drove to North Carolina where he hid in the backwoods for 5 years. The murders also earned Birmingham the nickname Murder Capital of the Country. Successful engineer Richard Hawes murdered his wife, Emma, along with their two daughters, May and Irene. She was riding with her husband, H.C. Price Jr., when the lights on their car suddenly stopped working and it careened over an embankment. 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. 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. 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. Click hereto read more. Bishop didn't have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and she was in total denial after the event. Kelsey Turner, 28, entered an Alford plea in the case which means she still insists she's innocent but agrees a conviction is highly . A former Playboy and Maxim model entered a plea deal this week in the death of a 71-year-old psychiatrist who paid her $3,200 per-month rent until he abruptly stopped in 2018. Alabama has many different urban legends, ranging from the dark and sinister to the downtown creepy. 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." Bannister was captured in 1894 and jailed in Birmingham. He was assigned to round up troops for the Confederacy, but, according to accounts, became a violent man. In 1986, an 18-year-old white woman named Ronda Morrison was murdered in downtown Monroeville, Alabama. By the time he donated his collection to the Alabama Department of Archives and History in 1937, he'd amassed more than 50,000 native artifacts from surrounding counties, including jewels from a long-dead Indian princess, according to a 1928 Associated Press article published in thePrescott, AZ, Evening Courier. She vanished for four days and was found crawling in the woods, soaked from the rain. Then suddenly the truth was revealed. 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. In the late 1800s, Katherine Lackner gave up a respectable life to be with portly but rakish riverboat captain named William Simpson "Simp" McGhee. ", (Grave of Allen Page by Melody via FindaGrave.com), The Ward Brothers, outlaws, Irvin (1828-1859), Stephen (1834-1859), The Ward brothers are buried in the Ward-Witherington Cemetery in Conecuh County. Jonathan Myrick Daniels pushed her to the ground and was shot and killed in her place. Some of the most famous Alabama murders over the years include the 2005 murder of Charles Newman, who was killed on Halloween night by Andrew Lackey, later named the Halloween Killer; the 1941 Gibson Family Murders; and the 2001 unsolved murder of Shannon Paulk. 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. No bodies or trace of the ship were ever found. Who did I choose for your county? Rhonda Bell Martin of Montgomery was executed in 1957 in Alabama's electric chair after confessing to killing her mother, two of her husbands and three of her children with arsenic, reportedly for the insurance money. However, Sequoyah's early life made it doubtful he would become so famous. 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. Newman's grandson had told Lackey his grandfather had a vault inside his home that held a lot of cash. To round up troops for the Albany Senators ), 1956-2002 Alabama as 2020! County via Darryl Searcy/ FindaGrave.com ), Rev served in World Wars I and II, from! 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