On Christmas Eve of 2019, the quiet community of Addison, Alabama, was unsettled by a grim event that unfolded within the home of a local family. Frank Hollis Privett, a 71-year-old white male, and his wife, Rita Ann Privett, 63, were found deceased in their residence. The couple had sustained fatal injuries from a 12-gauge pump shotgun, which was later discovered in the kitchen.
Their deaths were the result of a violent altercation that tragically cut their lives short.
Frank, born on April 10, 1948, was a well-known figure in the community, remembered as a hardworking man often seen in overalls with a long beard. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, having served his country from 1966 to 1978. After his military service, he attended Addison High School and Wallace State Community College. His wife, Rita, was a retired teacher who had dedicated her career to educating students at Jones Chapel Jr. High and Logan Jr. High. She was remembered for her infectious laugh and smile.
The events leading to the couple's death began to come to light when their 30-year-old son, Allen Hollis Privett, contacted law enforcement. In a call to the sheriff's office dispatcher at 6:10 p.m., Allen confessed to a dispatcher that he had shot and killed his parents. When Addison police officers arrived at the scene, they found Allen standing in the yard, still on the phone with the dispatcher, with his hands in the air. He was taken into custody without incident.
Inside the home, the responding officers discovered the bodies of Frank and Rita Privett. The investigation that followed indicated that an argument had escalated to the fatal shooting. Allen Privett was arrested and charged with the murders of his parents. He was subsequently held without bond in the Winston County Jail. The tragic event left the community in shock, prompting discussions about family violence and mental health awareness. Funeral services for Frank and Rita Privett were held on December 28, 2019, at Nichols Funeral Home in Addison.
