In the quiet town of Moulton, Alabama, the holiday season of 2021 was irrevocably shattered by a tragic and violent event. On Christmas Eve, the body of 20-year-old Gavin Ryan Hargrove of Trinity was discovered inside a residence on County Road 217. He had sustained a fatal gunshot wound. The grim discovery launched an intensive homicide investigation by the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office.
The focus of the investigation quickly turned to Timothy Dakota McCary, a 21-year-old from Moulton, who resided at the home where Hargrove's body was found. As investigators worked tirelessly through Christmas Day, a search for McCary was initiated. Law enforcement agencies, including the Moulton and Courtland Police Departments, Alabama State Troopers, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's SBI, joined the search effort.
Thanks to several tips from the community, authorities were able to track McCary's movements. He was spotted in the Langtown Community on Christmas Day. Later that evening, a citizen reported seeing him on County Road 240. McCary attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended by deputies. Following his capture, Timothy Dakota McCary was arrested and charged with the capital murder of Gavin Hargrove. He was subsequently booked into the Lawrence County Jail.
