On the final day of 2015, a long-standing feud between two men in Selma, Alabama, erupted in gunfire, tragically ending the lives of two innocent bystanders. Mary Whatley, a 44-year-old woman, was one of the victims caught in the crossfire of a dispute that had simmered for months.
The conflict between Carlos Heard and another man had reportedly begun with a fistfight and escalated through a series of retaliatory actions, including house shootings and car fires.
On New Year's Eve, the feud reached its deadly climax. Heard, riding in a vehicle, opened fire on a car he believed to be occupied by the man he was targeting. However, the intended victim was not in the vehicle. Instead, Jeffery Harrell, who was driving, was struck and killed.
The hail of bullets also struck a nearby home where Mary Whatley was present. She was hit by the gunfire and tragically lost her life. The incident, which was intended to settle a personal score, instead claimed the lives of two individuals who had no involvement in the dispute.
Following an investigation, Carlos Heard was arrested and charged in connection with the deaths of Mary Whatley and Jeffery Harrell. In August 2018, a Dallas County jury found Heard guilty of two counts of reckless murder. He was subsequently sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in the fatal shootings.
