In the quiet town of Cleveland, Alabama, a heart-wrenching story unfolded on February 25, 2017, ending the life of 23-year-old Bethany Brooke Evans, a female nurse known for her compassion and vibrant spirit. Evans, a resident of Mount Olive, was discovered at the home of her ex-boyfriend, 26-year-old Patrick Dorsett. She had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Bethany, who worked as a nurse in Birmingham, was remembered by her family as a person who always had a smile on her face and a
contagious laugh. She was at an exciting point in her career, preparing to start a new nursing job in Nashville. On the day of her death, she had gone to Dorsett's residence on Tuscaloosa Pike to retrieve some of her belongings, a seemingly simple act that tragically turned fatal. The promising life of a young woman dedicated to caring for others was cut short in a place she once frequented.
The investigation into Bethany's death swiftly led to the arrest of Patrick Dorsett by the Blount County Sheriff's Office. He was taken into custody and held without bond. The legal proceedings that followed brought a measure of closure to a grieving family and community. In a decision to spare her family the further pain of a trial, a plea deal was accepted. Patrick Dorsett pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 99 years in prison for the death of his former girlfriend. The lengthy sentence ensured that the man responsible for the violent end to a bright and caring life would be held accountable for his actions.
