In the spring of 2020, Jeffery Glenn Wilhite, a 59-year-old man, vanished from the West Point area in Cullman County, Alabama. He was last seen on April 3, 2020. His disappearance prompted an extensive and persistent investigation by the Cullman County Sheriff's Office that would span over three years. The case was perplexing, as there was no immediate sign of foul play, yet Wilhite was nowhere to be found.
His truck was discovered parked between two chicken houses, and inside, investigators found his cell phone.
For years, the investigation continued with few public developments. However, behind the scenes, law enforcement officials were meticulously gathering evidence. Their efforts eventually led them to focus on a single suspect: Randall Dewayne Hogan, a 66-year-old man from Cullman. Investigators compiled a compelling case against Hogan, which was then presented to a grand jury. The evidence was sufficient for the grand jury to hand down an indictment, and on October 30, 2023, Hogan was arrested and formally charged with the murder of Jeffery Glenn Wilhite.
The legal proceedings that followed the arrest were complex, particularly due to the unique circumstance that Wilhite's body has never been recovered. Initially, Hogan was held at the Cullman County Detention Center and was denied bond. However, he was later granted a bond and released. This release was temporary, as his bond was subsequently revoked in May 2025, after he was arrested for a new offense, and he was returned to jail to be held without bond until his trial.
During legal hearings, further details of the investigation emerged. It was revealed that the last known location of Wilhite's cell phone was a farm where he was an employee of Hogan. Testimony from the lead investigator also indicated that a projectile was recovered from the 'egg room' on the property. This projectile was said to match another one found in a vehicle belonging to a different individual who had accused Hogan of discharging a firearm into his truck the day before Wilhite was reported missing. The sheriff also testified that Hogan had sent him a text message threatening to harm Wilhite approximately a week before he disappeared. Despite the lack of a body, the prosecution remains confident in the evidence they have gathered to proceed with the murder charge against Randall Dewayne Hogan.
