In the quiet town of Dadeville, Alabama, the life of 65-year-old Barbara White Tidwell, a white female, came to a tragic and violent end on Friday, April 17, 2020. She was discovered in her home on North Barrett Street, the victim of a brutal double homicide alongside her husband of 20 years, 61-year-old Willie Tidwell. The couple had both sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
Barbara, born in Dadeville on May 30, 1954, was a beloved member of her community and a devoted member of Calvary Baptist Church. She found her greatest joy in her family, especially her grandchildren, and cherished the times they were all together. Her days were often spent enjoying life's simple pleasures, such as sitting on her back porch reading, tending to her flowers, sewing, and doing crafts. Her peaceful existence was shattered in what authorities believe was a robbery that escalated into a senseless act of violence.
The investigation into the murders of Barbara and Willie Tidwell led law enforcement on the trail of a crime spree that spanned across Alabama. The primary suspect was identified as Derrick Lee Hightower of Columbus, Georgia. Investigators allege that before arriving in Dadeville, Hightower had killed another woman in Auburn and stolen her car. After the murders of the Tidwells, his violent rampage continued with another fatal home invasion in Birmingham.
In April of 2021, a Tallapoosa County Grand Jury indicted Derrick Hightower on four counts of capital murder in relation to the deaths of Barbara and Willie Tidwell. Another individual, Kentrice Symonee Hill of Birmingham, was also indicted on the same charges. In December 2024, a jury found Hightower guilty on all four counts of capital murder. Following the conviction, in January 2025, Derrick Hightower was sentenced to death for the murders of Barbara and Willie Tidwell, bringing a measure of justice to a community shaken by the brutal loss of two of its own.
