Are you a true crime fanatic? Do you love reading about twisted murders and mind-boggling mysteries? Well, if you’re from Alabama, then you’re in for a treat. We’ve compiled a list of 5 high-profile true crime cases from Alabama that will leave you shaking your head in disbelief.
- The “Phantom of the Opera” Murders: In 1982, a masked man entered the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham and shot and killed a young woman in the restroom. He struck again a few months later, this time targeting a janitor at the theater. He became known as the “Phantom of the Opera” and was never caught.
- The “Gulf Coast Killing Machine”: In the late 1970s, a man named Larry Gene Bell terrorized the Gulf Coast, killing four young women in Alabama and South Carolina. He was eventually caught and executed in 1996.
- The “Body in the Box” Mystery: In 1985, a man named Bill Bradford was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, but it was later discovered that he had killed at least two other women and stuffed their bodies into boxes. He was sentenced to death and died in prison in 2008.
- The “Birmingham Axe Murders”: In 1921, a family of five was brutally murdered with an axe in their home in Birmingham. The killer was never caught, and the case remains unsolved to this day.
- The “Scottsboro Boys” Trials: In 1931, nine African American teenagers were falsely accused of raping two white women on a train in Alabama. The case was highly publicized, and the boys were convicted and sentenced to death. After several years of appeals and retrials, all but one of the boys were eventually released.
These true crime cases from Alabama are just a small sample of the fascinating and sometimes disturbing stories that make up the state’s criminal history. If you’re a true crime buff, be sure to add these cases to your reading list.
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Alabama’s High-Profile True Crime Cases
Twisted Murders and Mysteries in Alabama
Shocking True Crime Stories from Alabama
Unforgettable Crimes That Shook Alabama