In the early morning hours of April 18, 2025, the life of 39-year-old Cornelius Darnell Witherspoon, a Black male from Cottondale, Alabama, was tragically cut short. Responding to a shooting call around 3 a.m. in the 5400 block of 19th Street East, deputies from the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office discovered Witherspoon deceased in his vehicle from a fatal gunshot wound.
Investigators from the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit quickly determined that Witherspoon had been living at the residence with his girlfriend and her children. Through witness interviews and evidence collected at the scene, a grim picture of the events leading to the shooting emerged. It was revealed that an argument had erupted between Witherspoon and his girlfriend's son. The dispute escalated to a fatal point when the teenager shot and killed Witherspoon while he was inside his vehicle.
Following the investigation, the minor was taken into custody and has since been charged with capital murder. The specific charge of capital murder stems from the fact that Witherspoon was in his vehicle at the time of the shooting. Due to the suspect's age, authorities have not released his identity to the public. Funeral services for Cornelius D. Witherspoon were held on Friday, May 2, 2025, at the W.E. Lusain Funeral Home Chapel in Birmingham, Alabama.
