In the early hours of March 21, 2021, a night out among friends in Anniston, Alabama, turned tragic, leading to the death of 23-year-old Colten Swade Farley. A beloved and well-known barrel racer, Farley was with friends in the city's Arts and Entertainment District on Noble Street when an altercation took place around 12:30 a.m. Following a verbal exchange, Farley was struck, causing him to lose consciousness and fall to the ground, where he hit his head on the concrete.
The entire incident was captured on downtown surveillance cameras.
Though he regained consciousness at the scene, Farley initially declined to be taken to the hospital against medical advice. Later that morning, he was found unresponsive and was airlifted to UAB Hospital. There, he underwent surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. Despite the efforts of medical staff, Farley succumbed to his injuries five days later on March 25, 2021. In the wake of his death, there was an outpouring of support for his family and calls for justice from the community. While there were suggestions on social media that the attack was a hate crime related to Farley's sexuality, the Anniston Police Chief stated that their investigation found no evidence to support this claim, indicating that the individuals involved were loosely acquainted with one another.
The investigation into Farley's death led to the arrest of Corey Duran, who was 19 at the time of the incident. In October 2024, at the age of 22, Duran pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless manslaughter. A Calhoun County judge handed down a 10-year suspended sentence and five years of probation. As part of his sentence, Duran was also prohibited from consuming alcohol for a period of six months.
