On a tragic Tuesday in March of 2009, the community of Samson, Alabama, was shattered by a wave of violence that claimed the life of 55-year-old James Alfred White. A resident of Samson, Mr. White was among the victims of a shooting rampage that tore through two rural Alabama counties, leaving a trail of devastation and loss.
James Alfred White, a male who had worked as the water superintendent for the City of Samson before his retirement, was shot and killed on March 10, 2009. The act of violence that took his life was part of a larger, horrific event perpetrated by his own nephew, Michael McLendon.
On that fateful day, McLendon embarked on a killing spree that ultimately resulted in the deaths of ten individuals before he took his own life.
The senseless violence cut short the life of a man remembered by his family and community. His death was a profound loss, leaving behind his wife, Phyllis White, and a family grappling with the shock and sorrow of a tragedy that unfolded so close to home. The tight-knit community of Samson was left to mourn the loss of one of their own in a series of events that would leave a lasting scar.
