In the fall of 2016, Tracy Ann Latty Algar, a 54-year-old woman, was working as a clerk at a Kirkland Chevron gas station in Alabaster, Alabama. On the evening of October 30th, her life was tragically cut short in a violent act that shook the local community. A man entered the gas station, and during the commission of a robbery, Algar was fatally shot. The incident prompted an immediate and intensive investigation by law enforcement.
Authorities quickly released surveillance images to the public, showing a person of interest who was seen walking to the gas station from a nearby apartment complex. The man in the footage was described as wearing a white shirt, black pants, and a distinctive fedora hat. This public appeal for information proved fruitful, as multiple individuals recognized the man in the images and identified him to the police as Michael Anthony Powell.
Based on these tips, law enforcement officials obtained a search warrant for Powell's apartment, which was located in the same complex from which the suspect was seen walking. Inside the residence, investigators discovered clothing that matched the description of what the assailant was wearing in the surveillance video, including black pants, white shirts, and a fedora hat. Further investigation led police to Powell's girlfriend's home, where they found. 380 caliber ammunition of the same brand as that used in the murder of Tracy Algar.
Following his arrest, Michael Anthony Powell was charged with capital murder. While incarcerated and awaiting trial, he attempted to obstruct justice by persuading another inmate to write a letter falsely confessing to Algar's murder. Despite this attempt to divert suspicion, the evidence against Powell was substantial. He was subsequently convicted of capital murder for the robbery and killing of Tracy Algar and was sentenced to death. However, in a later turn of events, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals reversed Powell's conviction and death sentence in May of 2024. The Alabama Supreme Court denied a petition to review this decision in September of 2025.
