In the small town of Evergreen, Alabama, a tragedy unfolded inside the local Pick and Save grocery store that left the community in shock. On a December evening in 2019, Lavon McCreary, a 28-year-old woman, was shot and killed. At the time of her death, McCreary was nine months pregnant, and her unborn child also did not survive. Described by her family as a hardworking and loving mother to her two children, she was eagerly anticipating the arrival of her third.
The incident shattered the ordinary evening for shoppers and staff at the grocery store on Highway 31. In the aftermath, law enforcement quickly identified a suspect. The Conecuh County District Attorney's Office announced they would be seeking a capital murder warrant for Michael Collin Mitchell. It was later revealed that Mitchell was the father of McCreary's two children. The crime was particularly harrowing as it was reported to have occurred in front of their children.
During legal proceedings, a preliminary hearing revealed chilling details. Surveillance video from the store, though without audio, captured the moments leading up to the fatal shooting. An investigator testified that after the shooting, a fetal heartbeat was detected while McCreary was being transported, but ultimately, both she and her unborn baby succumbed to the injuries. Mitchell was subsequently charged with three counts of capital murder and was held without bond.
The case proceeded to trial, where a Conecuh County jury was presented with the evidence against Mitchell. After deliberations, the jury convicted him of capital murder. In the sentencing phase of the trial, the jury recommended the death penalty for his role in the deaths of Lavon McCreary and her unborn child. A judge was scheduled to make the final sentencing decision in June of the following year.
