In the quiet Carrol Acres subdivision of Cullman, Alabama, the evening of November 12, 2017, was shattered by violence that would ultimately claim the life of 56-year-old Perry Shoemake. The fatal encounter began when his stepson, William Thomas Maddux, then 27, tried to gain entry into the home he shared with his mother and Shoemake. After being denied entrance, Maddux forced his way in through a back door, leading to a tragic exchange of gunfire.
Shoemake was pronounced dead at the scene, while Maddux sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
The investigation that followed pointed to a troubled relationship between the two men, with disagreements over money and property believed to be the primary motive. While those who knew them described their relationship as generally good, tensions had evidently escalated to a breaking point. Following the incident, Maddux was airlifted to a hospital and spent a significant amount of time receiving treatment for his injury, including psychiatric care. In January 2018, after being released from the hospital, William Thomas Maddux turned himself in to the authorities and was charged with the murder of his stepfather.
The legal process moved forward, and in May 2018, Maddux was indicted for murder. After a four-day trial, a Cullman County jury found him guilty on June 28, 2024. During the trial, it was revealed that Shoemake was on the phone with 911 when he was shot and killed. On September 3, 2024, William Thomas Maddux was sentenced to 99 years in prison for the murder of Perry Shoemake. His conviction was later upheld by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, bringing a definitive close to the case.
