In the quiet town of Samson, Alabama, the community was shattered by a tragic event that claimed the life of Tracy Michelle White, a 34-year-old woman known to her loved ones as 'Tator.' On March 10, 2009, Tracy, who served as the magistrate for the City of Samson, was tragically killed in a senseless act of violence. A graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in criminal law, her life was cut short on the front porch of her father's home.
The perpetrator of this horrific
crime was identified as Michael Kenneth McLendon, Tracy's 28-year-old cousin. McLendon's rampage began earlier that day when he killed his mother and set their house on fire in the nearby town of Kinston. He then drove to Samson, where he continued his deadly assault. On the porch of his uncle's home, he opened fire, killing Tracy, her 15-year-old son, Dean James Wise, and her 55-year-old father, James Alfred White. Also killed on the porch were a neighbor, Andrea Dawn Myers, and her 18-month-old daughter, Corinne Gracy Myers.
McLendon's violent spree continued as he drove through the streets of Samson and Geneva, randomly shooting at people and businesses. By the end of his rampage, he had fatally shot ten people and wounded six others, marking it as the deadliest mass shooting in Alabama's history. The chase for McLendon ended at a local business, Reliable Products, in Geneva. As law enforcement closed in, he exchanged fire with a deputy and a conservation officer before entering the building. Shortly after, McLendon was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigators later found a note in which McLendon expressed feelings of being unsupported by his mother's family and was reportedly depressed about his lack of work. He was armed with two assault rifles, a shotgun, and a pistol. In the wake of the tragedy, the small community of Samson was left to mourn the immense loss of life, including that of a dedicated public servant, a loving mother, and a cherished member of their community.
