Benny Lee Patterson

Benny Lee Patterson was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather from the community of Moulton, Alabama. Born on January 6, 1971, the 48-year-old White / Caucasian man was a family man at his core. He is remembered by his wife, Pam Patterson; his mother, Wilma Bradford; and his two daughters, Tiffany Proctor and Lexi Patterson. He was also a grandfather to Russ and Sawyer and an uncle to his nephew, Johnwayne Patterson. His family was the center of his world, a world that was shattered in the autumn of 2019. Benny was preceded in death by his father, Mac Patterson, and later by his brother, Barry Patterson, in 2024.

The afternoon of Thursday, October 17, 2019, turned tragic in a quiet, rural area of Lawrence County. Authorities received a call at 3:46 p.m. reporting an altercation at a home on the 11000 block of County Road 236 in Moulton. When deputies from the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene, they found Benny Lee Patterson suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the residence.

Investigators quickly determined the series of events that led to the deadly shooting. According to Sheriff Max Sanders, Patterson had been involved in a physical altercation with his neighbor, an adult male who lived at the home where the shooting occurred. Following this initial fight, Patterson left the neighbor's property. However, he returned a short time later. It was upon his return that the male resident shot him.

The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office secured the scene and launched a homicide investigation, processing evidence and gathering facts about the confrontation between the two men. The Moulton Police Department also assisted in the initial response. Investigators confirmed that the shooter was the man who resided in the home and had been in the prior altercation with Patterson.

In the days following the shooting, the Sheriff's Office continued its work, stating that a complete report of their findings and all collected evidence would be turned over to the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office for review. At that time, in October 2019, no charges had been filed against the shooter, and his name was not publicly released. The District Attorney's office was to evaluate the evidence to determine whether criminal charges were warranted or if the shooting was considered to be in self-defense under Alabama law.

Benny Patterson's family held a graveside service for him at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 20, 2019, at Jones Chapel Cemetery. As they grieved their profound loss, the legal questions surrounding his death remained. The community of Moulton, a city of a few thousand people in northern Alabama, was left waiting for answers.

The case, however, has grown cold in the public record. Since the initial reports in October 2019, no further information has been released by the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office or the District Attorney regarding the outcome of the investigation or the review. It is not publicly known whether a grand jury heard the case or if a final determination was made. For the family and friends of Benny Patterson, the absence of a public resolution leaves many unanswered questions about the final moments of his life and the accountability for his death.