On a summer evening in Ardmore, Alabama, the life of 74-year-old Bruce Arthur Cosman was tragically cut short. On July 18, 2019, suspicious noises outside their Highway 251 home prompted Cosman and his wife to be on alert. Cosman went to investigate what was happening in his own backyard. Shortly after he stepped outside, the sound of multiple gunshots pierced the evening air. His wife discovered him lying in the yard, and authorities were called to the scene at approximately 7:30 p.m.
The investigation into the shooting death of the male victim led law enforcement to 47-year-old Fred Sommerville. Investigators charged Sommerville with capital murder in connection with Cosman's death. The case took a darker turn when Sommerville was also implicated in the killing of his estranged wife, 39-year-old LaKresha Sommerville. Her body was discovered inside a vehicle in Pickens County, Alabama. It was revealed that LaKresha had previously reported instances of domestic violence and stalking against her estranged husband.
Fred Sommerville's run from the law came to an end in Pickens County following a police pursuit. He was apprehended while driving a stolen vehicle, and shockingly, the body of his deceased wife was in the front seat beside him. In a resolution to the violent crime spree, Fred Sommerville pleaded guilty to the murders in August 2023. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for his crimes. He is currently serving his sentence at the Kilby Correctional Facility in Montgomery County, Alabama.
