In the quiet community of Cedar Bluff, Alabama, the night of November 16, 2015, turned into a scene of unimaginable horror. Inside a residence on County Road 664, 71-year-old Sylvia 'Sue' Duffe, her 68-year-old sister Clara Edwards, and Clara's 49-year-old daughter, Pamala Collette Marts Oshel, were tragically killed. The women were victims of a violent rampage that stemmed from a domestic dispute.
The horrifying events were set in motion by Donnie Lee Abernathy, who was involved in a custody dispute with his ex-girlfriend, Jerrica Hamilton. Hamilton was Sylvia Duffe's granddaughter and was living with her at the time. In the early hours of November 16th, Abernathy broke into the home, where he fatally shot Sylvia Duffe, Clara Edwards, and Pamala Oshel. Another man in the house, John McClung, was also shot but survived.
After the shootings, Abernathy kidnapped Jerrica Hamilton from the residence and fled the scene. As law enforcement responded to the unfolding tragedy, a pursuit began. The chase ended when Abernathy crashed his vehicle in the nearby town of Sand Rock. He was then taken into custody by authorities.
Donnie Lee Abernathy was subsequently charged with multiple offenses, including capital murder, attempted murder, first-degree kidnapping, and first-degree criminal mischief. In October 2021, a Cherokee County jury found Abernathy guilty on two counts of capital murder, as well as attempted murder and other charges. Following his conviction, he was sentenced to death for his role in the brutal slayings. An appeal of his conviction and sentence was later denied.
