Tyler Hudson pleads guilty in 2018 Fairview murder
Updated June 23, 2025, at 10:17 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. – Tyler Hudson, 27, of Baileyton, who was arrested with Andrew Maresh in March 2018 for...
Woods pleads guilty to lesser charges in human trafficking cases, released with time served
CULLMAN, Ala. - Kenneth Loyd Woods, 53, of Fairview, indicted in 2017 for multiple counts of human trafficking and other crimes, was released Friday,...
(Update) Brad Meeks sentenced to 12 years in death of Curt Wilson, injury of Ashley Wilson
Updated 5-14-20 at 1:36 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County Circuit Court Judge Gregory Nicholas on Tuesday sentenced Bradford Neal Meeks to 12 years in...
Reckless murder indictment issued in 2020 Battleground shooting
CULLMAN, Ala. - A Cullman County Grand Jury on Tuesday indicted Christian Alexander Shane Lewter, 22, of Vinemont, with reckless murder in the August...
Andrew Maresh found guilty for the murder of Daniel Ray Osborn, II
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announced in a press release on Thursday that Andrew Jacob Maresh was found guilty after...
Attorney General Steve Marshall hails Supreme Court victory in religious freedom case supported by Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall hailed a unanimous decision by the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday, in a lawsuit supported by Alabama, upholding the right...
Cullman County father pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2017 shooting death of son
CULLMAN, Ala. - Jones Chapel man Donald Wayne Trammell, 44, on Thursday pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Dec. 24, 2017 shooting death of...
Singleton pleads guilty in $365K theft from Cullman County Fair Association
CULLMAN, Ala. – Stephen L. Singleton, 72, of Cullman, who was charged in February 2020 with the theft of more than $200,000 from the...
GUILTY: Brown pleads to reduced charge in death of Baby Hoss, receives 40 years
CULLMAN, Ala. - Jeffery Hugh Brown, 43, of Vinemont pleaded guilty Friday to felony murder in the death of 1-year-old Hoss Benham, who died...
‘Stand your ground’
CULLMAN, Ala. – Kenneth Don Malone, 60, of Guntersville, was cleared of murder and manslaughter charges Tuesday in the shooting death of Joshua Adam...
Double murder defendant returning to Cullman for competency hearing
CULLMAN, Ala. - Double murder defendant Sara Tapia-Franco, 34, of Holly Pond, this week was ordered to be transferred from state mental health facility...
Hanceville man sentenced to 7-plus years in prison for meth crime
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Hanceville man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for a methamphetamine crime, according to U.S. Attorney Prim...
(Updated) Cullman Co. man found guilty of attempted murder of sheriff’s deputy
Updated 10-21-20 at 6:51 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. - Early Wednesday afternoon, Rodney Deland Looney, 48, of Cullman County was found guilty of the 2016 attempted...
The wheels of justice: active homicide cases in Cullman County, part 2
Editor’s note: All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty.
CULLMAN, Ala. - The Tribune continues its review of pending homicide cases in Cullman County,...
Appeals Court rejects sentence in Meeks homicide conviction
CULLMAN, Ala. - An Alabama appellate court, in a preliminary statement, upheld the conviction of Brad Meeks, 30, of Bremen, on the charge of...
Courts: Brad Meeks appeals conviction in death of Curt Wilson
CULLMAN, Ala. - Bradford Neal Meeks on June 8 submitted a handwritten request to the Cullman County Circuit Court for an appeal of his...
(Updated) Brad Meeks guilty of lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide in death of Curtis Wilson
Updated 1/30/20 7:51 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. - A Cullman County jury convicted Bradford Neal Meeks, 29, of Bremen of criminally negligent homicide in the May...
Fite pleads guilty to BUI, gets 2 years probation
WINSTON COUNTY, Ala. - William Jackson Fite, 23, of Decatur, the driver of the boat from which Kelsey Starling, 26, of Troy disappeared during...
Hanceville man charged with murder in DUI death
Updated 1-22-21 1:33 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. - A Hanceville man was arrested Jan. 15 after being indicted on six counts by a Cullman County grand...
The wheels of justice: active homicide cases in Cullman County, part 1
Editor’s note: All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty.
CULLMAN, Ala. - It has been said that the wheels of justice turn slowly, and...
Thursby’s charges upgraded in 2016 murder case
CULLMAN, Ala. — Kayla Thursby, 34, of Cullman, was re-arrested this week after a Cullman County grand jury upgraded charges against her in the...
In trial 4, Jack Wilson convicted of assault
CULLMAN, Ala. - A Cullman County jury returned a guilty verdict against Jack Harold Wilson, 74, of Bremen Wednesday during his fourth trial appearance...
Cullman courts are going to the dogs!
Alabama a national leader in use of facility dogs to ease stress in courts; coming to Cullman soon
MONTGOMERY
- Alabama’s courts are going to...
(Updated) Former AL Senate Majority Leader Zeb Little pleads guilty to 1st-degree theft of property
Updated 9-24-19 11:47 a.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman native and former Alabama Senate Majority Leader Zebulon “Zeb” Little, 51, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts...
Tyson now faces nine lawsuits over 2019 Hanceville plant spill
HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Over two years have passed since a June 6, 2019, spill at the Tyson Farms/River Valley Ingredients rendering plant near Hanceville...
Cullman Co. convicted rapist up for parole weeks after being sentenced on new felony charges
Updated 9-29-20 at 5:19 p.m.: Davis' parole was denied.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - David Allen Davis, 31, whose court record indicates addresses in Cullman and Vinemont,...
Out on bond: What has ‘free bail’ meant for Cullman County?
CULLMAN, Ala. - Since the institution of a federal judge’s injunction against Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry last fall, an injunction which requires him...
BREAKING NEWS: Chad Floyd appointed new Cullman County district judge
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County Attorney Chad Floyd has been appointed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey as Cullman County District Judge, Place 1. Ivey’s...
(Updated) Cullman Judge Kim Chaney announces retirement
LATEST: https://www.cullmantribune.com/2020/02/19/update-formal-ethics-complaint-preceded-chaneys-retirement-from-district-court/
Updated 2-18-20 5:25 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Judge Kim Chaney of the 32nd Judicial Circuit, State of Alabama, on Tuesday announced...
Testimony enters 2nd day in Brad Meeks trial
Edited Jan. 30, 3:03 p.m. to correct "The paramedic admitted that severe low blood sugar could cause a person to smell like alcohol but...
Circuit Court issues directive for nursing mothers called to jury duty
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County Presiding Judge Gregory Nicholas recently issued a directive clarifying the status of nursing mothers called to jury duty. According...
Attorney General Steve Marshall announces court win against Biden administration that lifts ban on new oil and gas drilling on federal lands
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that in response to a lawsuit filed by Alabama and 12 other states, a U.S. District...
Driver indicted, arrested in deadly 2020 Cullman crash
CULLMAN, Ala. - Angelica Denise Ruffin, 38, of Huntsville, a driver involved in a deadly crash at the intersection of U.S. Highway 278 and...
(Updated) Alabama Court of the Judiciary issues final judgement in case of District Judge Kim Chaney
Updated 2-25-20 at 6:43 p.m. with a copy of the Cullman County Bar resolution supporting Judge Kim Chaney. See the bottom of this article...
Cullman man indicted for attempted murder
CULLMAN, Ala. - Charles Chase Thomas, 29, of Cullman was arrested this week after being indicted by a grand jury in September for attempted...
Man who confronted Cullman City Council in 2021 sentenced for threatening lives of Arizona election officials
PHOENIX – The U.S. Department of Justice District of Arizona on Oct. 22, 2024, announced that Cullman resident Brian Ogstad has been sentenced to...
Espy, Jr. pleads guilty to murder, Garner convicted of attempted murder
CULLMAN, Ala. - On Friday, Aug. 9, three days ahead of a trial scheduled on the Aug. 12, 2019 docket, Robert Gene Espy, Jr.,...
Rape trial for Hanceville man ends in hung jury
CULLMAN, Ala. - The first-degree rape trial of Wade Allen Waldrop ended in a hung jury late Wednesday afternoon, meaning that the jury could...
Case of man accused of killing Tommy Piper heading to grand jury with additional charges
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Court, with Circuit Judge Gregory Nicholas as authorized acting district judge on behalf of District Judge Rusty Turner,...
Attorney General Steve Marshall warns President Biden to drop illegal vaccine mandate or face lawsuit
MONTGOMERY, Ala. —Attorney General Steve Marshall warned President Joe Biden that he will face a lawsuit if his administration proceeds with his mandate that...
Tyson now facing 5 local, state, federal actions over Hanceville plant spill
HANCEVILLE, Ala. - Almost a year has passed since a June 6, 2019 spill at the Tyson Farms/River Valley Ingredients rendering plant near Hanceville...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces the guilty plea and sentencing of Robert Alan Peak
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announced that Robert Alan Peak was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Monday after...
Cullman man gets more than 24 years in prison for methamphetamine crimes (updated with photo)
Updated with photo 1-16-20 8:16 p.m.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge on Thursday sentenced two men involved in a methamphetamine conspiracy to prison sentences...
Jason McCurry acquitted in 2016 sex abuse case
CULLMAN, Ala. - A Cullman County jury on Wednesday found Jason Allen McCurry, 41, of Russellville not guilty on all charges in a 2016...
Bessemer man gets life in prison for Cullman County robbery
Updated Feb. 25, 2025, at 9:15 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. - According to Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker, Mark Ples Jones, 50, of Bessemer pleaded...
Attorney General Steve Marshall wins nationwide injunction against Biden’s healthcare-worker vaccine mandate
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall announced a court victory against President Biden’s healthcare-worker vaccine mandate as a federal court granted his motion to block...
Looney sentenced to 99 years for attempted murder of Lt. Rex Sorrow
Updated 1-7-21 3:08 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. – Rodney Deland Looney, 48, of Cullman County on Thursday was sentenced to 99 years in prison by Cullman...
Cullman Courts using technology for virtual hearings
CULLMAN, Ala. - During the COVID-19 shutdown, crime and civil problems continue, and so must the courts. On April 6, Cullman County Presiding Judge...
(Updated) Lawsuit filed against Tyson over 2019 spills
JASPER, Ala. - Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall on Wednesday filed a lawsuit in the Walker County Circuit Court on behalf of the State,...
Attorney General Steve Marshall files lawsuit to block Biden vaccine and mask mandates for Head Start employees and students
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a lawsuit Tuesday to block the Biden administration’s Head Start mandate for program employees to vaccinate against COVID,...
Cullman man sentenced to life in prison for 2019 murder in Fayette Co.
FAYETTE COUNTY, Ala. — A Cullman man has been sentenced to life in prison for a 2019 murder in Fayette County. Fayette County District...
Jury seated in trial of man charged with reckless murder in Cullman student’s death
CULLMAN, Ala. - After a marathon “voir dire,” or jury selection process, that began Monday morning, a jury was officially seated at 7:01 p.m....
Biggs to serve 5 years in DUI deaths of Bremen mother, daughter Tonya and Rhianna Busbee
CULLMAN, Ala. - Jonathan Biggs, 56, of Dayton, Ohio, who was charged with two counts of reckless murder in the 2017 deaths of Tonya...
2 former AL public school superintendents among 6 charged with fraud related to virtual education
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - On Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, six individuals appeared in court after being indicted on charges related to the fraudulent enrollment of...
Emotional first day of testimony in trial of Brad Meeks
CULLMAN, Ala. - After a marathon session to seat a jury Monday, the trial of Bremen resident Bradford Neal Meeks, 29, in the May...
Aniah’s Law: Vinemont man held without bond in sodomy cases
CULLMAN, Ala. – A Vinemont man will be held without bond in two cases in which he is charged with first-degree sodomy against minor...
Guthery found not guilty of manslaughter in vehicle crash
Updated June 27, 2024, at 5:45 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. – The reckless homicide trial of Tyler Jacob Guthery, 28, of Cullman County, ended early Wednesday...
Breaking News: AL attorney general files suit against Tyson over 2 2019 Mulberry Fork spills
JASPER, Ala. - Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall on Wednesday filed a lawsuit in the Walker County Circuit Court on behalf of the State,...
Autwell pleads guilty in 2018 crash that killed Hanceville woman
CULLMAN, Ala. - Terry Autwell, 28, of Hanceville, pleaded guilty earlier this month to a charge of criminally negligent homicide in the Dec. 10,...
Jury finds Stephens guilty in Cullman County Court
CULLMAN, Ala. - A man was found guilty on Tuesday following a one-day jury trial in the Cullman County Circuit Court for failing to...
Tyson Farms lawsuit settlement funds new projects in Colony, Garden City and Forks in the River
CULLMAN, Ala. - The Attorney General’s Restitution Fund Oversite Committee met at three different locations on Saturday to announce projects that are being planned...
Attorney General Steve Marshall wins injunction against Biden attempts to mandate vaccines through Head Start program
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Saturday that a federal court granted Alabama’s motion for an injunction against Biden’s order that seeks to require...
Attorney General Steve Marshall announces $3 million settlement with Tyson over Mulberry Fork spill
MONTGOMERY, Ala. —Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Wednesday a $3 million State settlement with Tyson Farms Inc. over the 2019 wastewater spill in Mulberry...
Flanigan acquitted of arson in murder case
CULLMAN, Ala. — Jerome Flanigan, 39, of Cullman, was acquitted of the charge of arson in the 2016 death of Leslie Clements, but continues...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces the guilty verdict of John Michael Cosper, Jr.
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announced on Tuesday that John Michael Cosper, Jr. was found guilty of two counts of...
Cullman County Courts issue instructions for child visitation/custody issues during state health emergency
CULLMAN, Ala. - Recently, Cullman County Presiding Judge Gregory Nicholas issued an administrative order governing child custody and visitation issues during the state-declared public...
Firearm-free Frog Festival?
SUMITON, Ala. - Cullman attorney Champ Crocker on Feb. 6, 2020 filed a lawsuit against Sumiton Mayor Petey Ellis on behalf of BamaCarry, Inc.,...
Attorney General Steve Marshall challenges Biden’s private-employer vaccine mandate
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a legal challenge Friday to block President Biden’s private-employer vaccine mandate. The petition for review was...
2 indicted in connection with 2020 Cullman County double homicide; 1 pleads guilty
CULLMAN, Ala. - Two individuals have been indicted in connection with the Aug. 15, 2020, murders of Levi Benjamin Lawrence, 24, of Cullman, and Dalton Matthew Bannister, 36, of...
Attorney General Steve Marshall files suit to end Biden’s public-travel mask mandate
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for its imposition of...
(Update) Formal ethics complaint preceded Chaney’s retirement from District Court
CULLMAN, Ala. - State court documents filed eight days before Cullman County District Judge Kim Chaney officially retired Feb. 15, 2020 indicate he is...
Called to order: Cullman County Courts return to in-person jury trials with COVID-19 safety procedures in place
Updated 9-16-20 at 10:50 a.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County Circuit Court on Monday began juror selection in its first in-person jury trial since March,...
Hanceville man indicted on murder charge in Aug. 2019 wreck
CULLMAN, Ala. – A Hanceville man was arrested Wednesday, Nov. 13 after being indicted by a Cullman County grand jury on charges of murder,...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces sentencing of habitual-offender Nathan Winston Stephens
(Photo courtesy of the CCSO)
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces that Nathan Winston Stephens was sentenced to 75 years in...
Justice Department secures agreement with Alabama landlord Randy Hames to resolve claims of sexual harassment of female tenants
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Justice Department announced Friday that it has reached an agreement with Randy Hames, an Alabama landlord who owned and managed rental properties...
Flanigan pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2016 drug death
CULLMAN, Ala. - Jerome Anthony Flanigan, 39, of Cullman, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to reckless manslaughter in the 2016 drug-related death of Leslie Clements....
Attorney General Steve Marshall defends free speech and religious rights of embattled cakebaker Jack Phillips
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed an amicus brief supporting the free speech right of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado to decline to...
Attorneys seek expert mental examination of Baileyton double murder defendant
CULLMAN, Ala. - On Monday Johnny Berry and Brandon Little, attorneys for Sara Tapia-Franco, the Baileyton mother accused of murdering two of her children...
COVID-19: Updated Cullman Municipal Court information
CULLMAN MUNICIPAL COURT | COVID-19 INFORMATION
(UPDATED 4-22-2020)
RESCHEDULED COURT DATES
All cases set for April 15, 2020 have been reset to May 6, 2020...
Meet Brooksie, the Cullman County Courthouse’s new facility dog
CULLMAN, Ala. - The Cullman County Courthouse on Monday officially welcomed its newest officer, Brooksie, a 2-year-old female labradoodle trained by Service Dogs Alabama...
Cullman County Circuit Clerk’s Office passes 2015-2020 financial audit
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County Circuit Clerk Lisa McSwain reported this week that her office received a clean financial audit report from the Alabama...
Hanceville man convicted in 35-year-old sex abuse case
Updated 6-12-19 6:52 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. - Hanceville area resident Glen Leon Yarbrough, 78, on Wednesday was found guilty of one count of sexual abuse...
Cullman Co. man sentenced to 99 years for wife’s murder
CULLMAN, Ala. – A Cullman County man, who was convicted of murder in April for the for the Jan. 27, 2021, slaying of his...
Cullman area legislators Stadthagen, Gudger commended by Republican Party for conservative legislation
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Cullman area legislators State Sen. Garlan Gudger and State Rep. Scott Stadthagen last week received the Alabama Republican Party’s Chairman’s Commendation...
Marshall, Aderholt file suit against federal government
Suit claims illegal manipulation and delaying of census data
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt, R- Alabama and two...
Cullman man indicted for murder in years-long missing person case
CULLMAN, Ala. - In a significant development in a case that has been under investigation for over three years, the Cullman County Sheriff's Office...
Cullman County man convicted of 2019 escape from detention center
CULLMAN, Ala. - A local man was found guilty by a Cullman County jury on Thursday, April 3, 2025, of second-degree escape.
Anthony Ray Beasley,...
Cullman County courts lay out new jury procedures
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County Presiding Judge Gregory Nicholas, after announcing last week that jury trials would resume the week of Sept. 14 with...
Jury seated in 2015 rape and sodomy case; trial set to begin Tuesday
Defendant had been in prison for a previous offense
CULLMAN, Ala. – Jury selection took place on Monday in Cullman in the rape and sodomy...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces the sentencing of convicted child rapist Wade Allen Waldrop
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock recently announced that Wade Allen Waldrop was sentenced to a maximum of 119 years in...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock and Sheriff Matt Gentry announce the arrests of two individuals for the theft of public funds from the town of Garden City
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock and Sheriff Matt Gentry announce that Shannon James and Leslie Johnson have been arrested on...
Local man convicted of felony attempting to elude
CULLMAN, Ala. - A Cullman County man has been convicted of felony attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, according to a post on...
Tyson responds to filing of lawsuit by AL attorney general
CULLMAN, Ala. - Tyson Foods on Thursday issued a response to the lawsuit filed Wednesday by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office over two spills...
Cullman County Veterans Treatment Court gets underway today
CULLMAN, Ala. - As of Thursday morning, Cullman County’s court system now gives veterans who struggle with the mental and emotional aftermath of their...
Cullman County Courts: Dec. 14 jury trial docket postponed
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County Presiding Judge Gregory Nicholas on Wednesday issued an order postponing the Dec. 14, 2020 jury trial docket until a...
Attorney General Steve Marshall leads 17 states in Supreme Court brief supporting religious charity’s right to hire people who share its faith
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall led a coalition of 17 states in filing a brief Thursday before the U.S. Supreme Court in support of...
COVID-19: Cullman Courts clarify postponed cases
CULLMAN, Ala. - After the Alabama Supreme Court issued an order postponing most court activities across the state (see
www.cullmantribune.com/2020/03/14/al-supreme-court-suspends-in-person-court-proceedings-statewide-most-local-cases-continued), Cullman County’s courts issued this...
Plea deal, 20 year sentence conclude 2015 rape and sodomy case
CULLMAN, Ala. – On the morning that opening arguments were to begin in the trial of Jackson Matthew Hall, 32, of Lacey’s Spring, the defendant...
Justice Dept. files lawsuit against State of AL for unconstitutional conditions in State’s prisons for men
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday filed suit against the State of Alabama and the Alabama Department of Corrections. The...
Rep. Harbison discusses support of constitutional carry bill HB44
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - In the new legislative session for the Alabama House of Representatives, many leaders across the state have been divided over a...
