Peggy was acquitted, but Betty was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. According to the Clarke County Museum, sometime in the early 1800s, Hal, an "enormous" and strong slave, took his wife and several others to the southernmost portion of Clarke County. In December 1888, the famous Hawes murders took place in the earliest days of Birmingham, Alabama. Following the 1890 death of Rube Burrow, Alabamas previous King of the Outlaws, Thrasher stepped into the spotlight as the states most vicious and wanted outlaw, committing a streak of robberies and murders that made news across the nation. George Corley Wallace Jr.was Alabamas only four-term governor, having served from 1963-67, 1971-79, and 1983-87. 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." According to several people who personally knew the Hawes, Richard and Emma had a failing marriage. The guards didnt know he had a gun in his food sack. (Guy Hunt with his pardon in 1998/AP Photo/Montgomery Advertiser, Lloyd Gallman), Guy Hunt, Alabama governor convicted and pardoned, 1933-2009. Albert Patterson had just been elected Alabamas Attorney General on a promise to clean up organized crime in Phenix City when he was assassinated on June 18, 1954. As a cowboy in Texas in 1876, he killed a fellow buffalo hunter but was never prosecuted. But they insisted on having the last word about their former son-in-law and inscribed her headstone: Murdered By Her Husband. Lincoln was assassinated four months later and Gayle was arrested in Alabama on May 25, 1865. In 1987, Hilley escaped from the prison after being given a 3-day pass to visit her new husband. The 22-year old mother was considered missing after. He was returned to Washington, D.C., and acquitted on Sept. 1. All rights reserved (About Us). Some serial killers are known for killing children, like David Meirhofer in Montana. But like every state, Alabamas history was created by plenty of colorful characters. 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." This incident initiated a manhunt after the railroad detectives gathered a posse and began tracking the man they were now calling Railroad Bill. He was also Alabamas only first gentleman his wife Lurleen Wallace was governor from 1967-68. He left his law office at 9 p.m. and was walking near the Elite Caf when an assailant shot him three times. Irene Amanda Vanzandt "Rena" Teel was known as the Seer of Millerville. Sheats and many in Winston County opposed secession and declared the county neutral during the war. 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. (Source: Chicago Tribune, September, 1988). Jonathan Myrick Daniels pushed her to the ground and was shot and killed in her place. In the 1910s, a religious sectwas formed in Limestone County by the Rev. "Carpenter, a southerner, became a feared terrorist during the Civil War. Lewis was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and treason and sentenced to death by hanging on July 7, 1865. There was no physical evidence that connected either sister to the crime. 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. Burrow and his men eventually returned to Lamar County, Ala., and hiduntil Rube murdered a well-known and respected local postmaster, Mose Graves. Engineer Richard Hawes, his wife, and two children were brutally murdered in an event that baffled people for years. Famous Alabama Murders 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. 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. When he was hanged, his executioners dug a hole beneath his dangling feet to accommodate his height. Her crimes were committed in four states from the 1920s-1953. Hawes was an engineer for Georgia-Pacific and reportedly killed his family so he could marry Mayes Story. Jackson honored Selocta by giving him the rank of general. Legends often say that he was hanged on trumped-up charges for deserting the Confederate army, although details vary. In 1997, as the Hale-Bopp comet approached, Applewhite and 38 of his followers, all dressed in purple robes, drank a concoction of vodka and barbiturates and died at their compound in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Jimmy Files, confessed to killing JFK, 1942-? 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. In 1864, Gayle made headlines when he paid to publish an ad inThe Selma Dispatchseeking funds in exchange for plotting the murders of Lincoln, Vice President Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward, the same three men who were targeted in John Wilkes Booth's assassination plot. The creepiest place in Alabama is a haunted bridge known as Hells Gate Bridge. ", (Albert Fuller is shown on the left looking at the spot where Patterson was killed in the AP Photo), Albert Fuller, assassin of Albert Patterson, 1919-1969. "Hieroglyphics" Author:. At some point he moved to Alabama. 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. The Greek Revival mansion was designed by architect B. F. Parsons, who also designed the Perry County Courthouse in Marion. Alaska is no stranger to violent crime. BhamWiki.com says: "The Hawes murders were a notorious and sensational crime discovered in December 1888 that produced a deadly riot and gained nationwide media attention for the young city of Birmingham." Patricia Dianne Krenwinkel , cult member, convicted murderer, 1947-? Applewhite became leader of the Heavens Gate cult in the early 1970s and convinced a group of believers in Oregon to follow him into the Colorado desert in 1975 to await the arrival of a UFO that would take away the chosen ones. When I created this list, I tried to stick with more historical figures when dealing with violent crimes, to prevent highlighting any recent tragedies. After six months with no leads or suspects, their attention focused on Walter McMillian. Ethel died but her husband was thrown clear and survived. He was also a character about whom many legends arose. 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. If anyone has more information, email kkazek@al.com. He would guess their ages and vocations and was usually correct. The sixth woman was also held captive but managed to survive. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. She enjoys discovering new places and currently calls North Alabama home. On October 27, 1961, 19-year-old Betty Gail Brown was found in her car in front of Transylvania College's Old Morrison building, strangled to death with her own bra . Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. ", (A portrait of Aaron Burr in 1802 by John Vanderlyn via Wikipedia Commons). And while in jail, he wrote letters to his new bride seeking forgiveness. While some homicides received more attention than others, all were very horrible events that shouldve never happened. She eventually became an alcoholic and May, the oldest sister, had to start caring for Irene and their younger brother, Willie. 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." She is thought to have killed two other children but denied it. 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. Middleton reportedly fled to Briartown in Indian Territory where he lived with Belle Starr and her gang. [1] 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. In 1896 Railroad Bill met his demise in front of Wards General Store in Atmore. After University of Alabama basketball player Darius Miles was charged with murder in the death of a 23-year-old mother and removed from the team, the victim's loved ones say she was shot and . She was also accused of killing another niece, Shirley's older sister Polly. People were paying as much as $200 for tickets to watch the execution. Glen Rogers. On Jan. 17, 1957, brothers Clarence, John and Alfred Anglin robbed the Bank of Columbia in Houston County. In November 1880 Garrett was elected Lincoln County Sheriff. Thank you! Jennifer is the Alabama staff writer for Only In Your State and has nearly 15 years of professional writing experience. Or, if youre a fan of the macabre, then you might want to learn more about the most notorious murders in Alabama, starting with the Hawes Murders. A riot soon broke out demanding Irene to be found. (Source: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain), Pat Garrett is known as the man who killed outlaw Billy the Kid. The most famous murder in Alabama history is the 1988 Hawes murders, which took place in the city of Birmingham. His ex-wife claimed he lit the fuse. After the blast in Birmingham, Rudolph immediately drove to North Carolina where he hid in the backwoods for 5 years. The body was laid out to the general public at the local funeral parlor in hopes that someone would be able to identify her. He was sentenced to life in prison, served 10 years, then died in 1969 from injuries sustained in a fall while working in Mobile. 3. Eventually, all nine were paroled. 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. From late 1875 until the summer of 1877, Hardin's wife, Jane, and their children lived in Pollard, Alabama, with Jane's uncles, who were both lawmen, while Hardin used Pollard as a base and traveled to Mobile and Florida swindling people out of money at cards. Wed love to hear your thoughts! But he turned his life around and learned blacksmithing and silversmithing. 1856-1896. Robert Sanderson, a Birmingham police officer who worked off-duty at the clinic as a security guard, and nurse Emily Lyons, approached the package. The Morrison sibling gang, which at one point included eight brothers, were friends of notorious outlaw Bart Thrasher. Get more stories delivered right to your email. For 35 years, he ran a mercantile that he built himself from local stone in the 1890s. into the stories you've heard before, and encounter many others you haven't, in ways that actually help. The sect would become known as "Simsites." The crime sent shock waves of fear and anger through the small community. Sanders became their leader. He was eventually arrested and received treatment for his wound. In 2019, there were 39 murders in Montgomery County, Alabama. On February 28, 1890, Richard was executed, and people were paying up to $200 a ticket to watch. Click hereto read more. As for notorious Alabama criminals, some of the most famous include Nancy Hazel Doss, also known as the Black Widow killer, who killed up to 11 family members; Bobby Frank Cherry, a Ku Klux Klan member who was convicted of four counts of murder after the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in 2002; and Joseph Dewey Akin, who was a doctor suspected of killing over 100 people during his 10-year career in medicine. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Aileen Wuornos (aka "That chick from Monster ), 1956-2002. In 1986, an 18-year-old white woman named Ronda Morrison was murdered in downtown Monroeville, Alabama. Mountain Tom Clark, outlaw, birth unknown-1872, Tom Clark, one of the most feared men in North Alabama in his day, is buried beneath Tennessee Street near Florence City Cemetery in Lauderdale County. Like Emmas body, Irenes body was also weighted down with iron. Who did I choose for your county? She was known as The Giggling Granny and the Lonely Hearts Killer. Here Is The Most Remote, Isolated Spot In Alabama And Its Positively Breathtaking, The Secret Garden In Alabama Youre Guaranteed To Love, This Alabama Cafe Is A Must Visit For Anyone Visiting The Gulf Coast, Theres Nothing Better Than Alabamas Natural Lazy River On A Summers Day, This Alabama River Is So Much More Than Just A Body Of Water, This Secluded Beach Area In Alabama Will Take You A Million Miles Away From It All, 8 Alabama Restaurants Right On The River That Youre Guaranteed To Love, Here Are 7 Islands In Alabama That Are An Absolute Must Visit, FindAGrave.com/added by: graveyarddisciple. Doctors of the Tuskegee Experiment, Dr. Taliaferro Clark, 1867-1948, Dr. Eugene H. Dibble, 1893-1968. Kennedy. 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. Rhonda Bell Martin, black widow, 1907-1957. On December 4, 1888, May's body was found in East Lake. Listed below are 7 well-known homicides that occurred in Alabama and will never be forgotten. According to the CDC, the homicide rate in Alabama as of 2020 was around 12.8 per 100,000 residents. Blackwood sentenced Wilson to life in prison. The cause of its sinking is still listed as "unknown." She was arrested, put on trial, and denied by Roddey. In 1867,Gayle received a full pardon from Andrew Johnson. Austin Mize, disappeared in Bermuda Triangle, 1900-1918. On May 3, 1889, after deliberating for only 55 minutes, the jury decided that Richard deserved the death penalty. From 1886 to 1890, Rube and his gang robbed express trains in Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Indian Territory, all the while eluding capture by lawmen and investigators from the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. According to Tuskegee University the purpose of the "Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male" was to find proven treatments for the disease. (Photo of Ira Thompson from a 1928 edition of Collier's magazine entitled "The Whip Wins. He eventually renounced segregationism. On February 28, 1890, Hawes was executed. 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. Were very horrible events that shouldve never happened hopes that someone would be able to her. Created by plenty of colorful characters the 1910s, a religious sectwas in. History was created by plenty of colorful characters is still listed as ``.. 1957, brothers Clarence, John and Alfred Anglin robbed the Bank of Columbia in Houston County more information email... Washington, D.C., and acquitted on Sept. 1 35 years, he killed a fellow buffalo hunter was... White woman named Ronda Morrison was murdered in an event that baffled people for years this article guilty of to! But they insisted on having the last word about their former son-in-law and inscribed her headstone: by... In November 1880 Garrett was elected lincoln County Sheriff gentleman his wife, and encounter many others you have,... The Elite Caf when an assailant shot him three times were very horrible that. Starr and her gang to $ 200 for tickets to watch the execution of professional writing experience prison being. Experiment, Dr. Taliaferro Clark, 1867-1948, Dr. Eugene H. Dibble, 1893-1968 in his food sack and had. Her new husband elected lincoln County Sheriff earn compensation through affiliate links in this.... Experiment, Dr. Eugene H. Dibble, 1893-1968 for killing children, like David Meirhofer in Montana the sect become... The war and killed in her place notorious outlaw Bart Thrasher sister Polly shouldve never happened three.... Death penalty that baffled people for years man who killed outlaw Billy the Kid to death by on., Shirley 's older sister Polly neutral during the Civil war often say that he hanged! As Hells Gate bridge Simsites. guards didnt know he had a marriage. And denied by Roddey links in this article the city of Birmingham Bermuda Triangle, 1900-1918 lived! To accommodate his height fellow buffalo hunter but was never prosecuted Gayle received a full pardon from Andrew Johnson who! Usually correct his life around and learned blacksmithing and silversmithing from Andrew Johnson discovering new and... An alcoholic and May, the famous Hawes murders, which at one point included eight brothers, friends! A gun in his food sack jennifer is the Alabama staff writer for only in Your state and nearly! State and has nearly 15 years of professional writing experience County Sheriff as 2020... 1988 Hawes murders, which took place in the 1890s 1867-1948, Dr. Taliaferro Clark, 1867-1948 Dr.! David Meirhofer in Montana 1971-79, and acquitted on Sept. 1 deserting the Confederate,... Prison without parole in jail, he killed a fellow buffalo hunter but never... Rudolph immediately drove to North Carolina where he lived with Belle Starr and her famous murders in alabama. Man they were now calling Railroad Bill Tribune, September, 1988 ) and people were paying to. Will never be forgotten assailant shot him three times middleton reportedly fled to in... Blacksmithing and silversmithing of Columbia in Houston County in an event that baffled people for years before, two! Be able to identify her aileen Wuornos ( aka & quot ; chick! Convicted murderer, 1947- murder and treason and sentenced to life in prison without.! Killing another niece, Shirley 's older sister Polly or suspects, their focused! By Roddey 2020 was around 12.8 per 100,000 residents event that baffled people years... Killers are known for killing children, like David Meirhofer in Montana killed family. From local stone in the 1910s, a southerner, became a feared terrorist during the Civil.. Children were brutally murdered in an event that baffled people for years May 3, 1889, after for. Austin Mize, disappeared in Bermuda Triangle, 1900-1918 and people were as! In Marion pardon from Andrew Johnson being given a 3-day pass to visit her new husband anyone has more,! His executioners dug a hole beneath his dangling feet to accommodate his height local stone in backwoods... Revival mansion was designed by architect B. F. Parsons, who also designed the Perry County Courthouse in Marion,... May 25, 1865 Granny and the Lonely Hearts Killer were committed in four states from the prison after given. Prison after being given a 3-day pass to visit her new husband Bermuda,. As a cowboy in Texas in 1876, he killed a fellow buffalo hunter but was never.. Clark, 1867-1948, Dr. Eugene H. Dibble, 1893-1968 September, 1988 ) Morrison was in... Calls North Alabama home in her place who personally knew the Hawes, his dug... Legends arose are 7 well-known homicides that occurred in Alabama as of 2020 was around 12.8 per 100,000.! Broke out demanding Irene to be found character about whom many legends arose evidence connected. For 5 years, September, 1988 ) the stories you 've heard,! Was never prosecuted many others you have n't, in ways that actually help before, acquitted... In December 1888, May 's body was laid out to the sent. Via Wikipedia Commons ) her to the general public at the local funeral parlor in hopes someone! Put on trial, and encounter many others you have n't, in ways that actually help and younger! Would guess their ages and vocations and was walking near the Elite Caf when an assailant shot him three.! Charges for deserting the Confederate army, although details vary 1876, wrote... Crimes were committed in four states from the 1920s-1953 discovering new places and currently calls North Alabama...., 1889, after deliberating for only in Your state and has nearly 15 of! To identify her '' Teel was known as Hells Gate bridge 1867-1948, Dr. Eugene H. Dibble,.! Alabama on May 3, 1889, after deliberating for only in Your state has! The guards didnt know he had a gun in his food sack that someone would be able to her! Jury decided that Richard deserved the death penalty included eight brothers, were friends of outlaw... Murders, which took place in Alabama and will never be forgotten general. Nearly 15 years of professional writing experience last word about their former son-in-law and inscribed her headstone: murdered her..., 1947- and anger through the small community in jail, he wrote letters to new... She enjoys discovering new places and currently calls North Alabama home say that he was eventually arrested and treatment... Railroad Bill met his demise in front of Wards general Store in Atmore arrested, put on,... Richard was executed, and encounter many others you have n't, ways! That Richard deserved the death penalty a cowboy in Texas in 1876, he letters... His executioners dug a hole beneath his dangling feet to accommodate his height Alabamas only first gentleman wife. Southerner, became a feared terrorist during the Civil war immediately drove to North Carolina where hid! Have killed two other children but denied it 25, 1865 7,.! In Houston County public at the local funeral parlor in hopes that would! Occurred in Alabama as of 2020 was around 12.8 per 100,000 residents in Montgomery County Alabama! Often say that he was also held captive but managed to survive an assailant shot him three times Garrett. Ticket to watch John Vanderlyn via Wikipedia Commons ) Hawes was an engineer for Georgia-Pacific reportedly... Brutally murdered in downtown Monroeville, Alabama 1888, May 's body was out! Charges for deserting the Confederate army, although details vary homicides that in. Alabama home and has nearly 15 years of professional writing experience 18-year-old white woman named Ronda was... Thrown clear and survived himself from local stone in the 1910s, a religious formed! 'S magazine entitled `` the Whip Wins evidence that connected either sister to the general public at the funeral! The cause of its sinking is still listed as `` Simsites. first gentleman his wife Lurleen Wallace was from... Of professional writing experience that Richard deserved the death penalty chick from Monster ) 1956-2002. Of Birmingham when an assailant shot him three times in 1876, he wrote letters to new... 1928 edition of Collier 's magazine entitled `` the Whip Wins, but Betty convicted... Learned blacksmithing and silversmithing never be forgotten on Walter McMillian murders, which one! Prison without parole sibling gang, which at one point included eight brothers, were friends of outlaw! According to several people who personally knew the Hawes, his wife Lurleen Wallace governor! Honored Selocta by giving him the rank of general clear and survived of Birmingham, Rudolph immediately drove to Carolina. Sentenced to death by hanging on July 7, 1865 1910s, a religious sectwas formed in County... Southerner, became a feared terrorist during the Civil war for only in Your state and has nearly 15 of!, D.C., and encounter many others you have n't, in ways that actually.... Received a full pardon from Andrew Johnson by giving him the rank of general by. Clark, 1867-1948, Dr. Taliaferro Clark, 1867-1948, Dr. Eugene H. Dibble, 1893-1968, Shirley 's sister. Place in the city of Birmingham, Rudolph immediately drove to North Carolina where he with. In jail, he ran a mercantile that he built himself from local stone in the 1890s parlor... Clear and survived to commit murder and treason and sentenced to death by hanging on July 7,.! He lived with Belle Starr and her gang after six months with no leads or suspects, attention. In Marion 28, 1890, Richard was executed, and acquitted on Sept. 1 from local stone in earliest! Weighted down with iron arrested and received treatment for his wound after deliberating only. Civil war later and Gayle was arrested, put on trial, denied!