Matthew Cecil Overby

On a winter afternoon, Matthew Cecil Overby was excited. The 34-year-old father was working on a friend’s pickup truck in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and waiting for his mother to bring his children for a visit. A friend described the White man from the LaFayette, Georgia, area as a “good-hearted fellow” who was “always happy go lucky” and fun to be around. But the visit he was anticipating would never happen. His life was cut short in a burst of gunfire rooted in a previous conflict.

The shooting happened around 1:10 p.m. on February 1, 2023. Overby was sitting in the driver’s seat of a Chevrolet Silverado in the 4300 block of 6th Avenue, helping a friend who was underneath the vehicle working on its transmission. A man dressed in black with his face partially covered by a mask approached the truck with a gun drawn. Witnesses heard the gunman say, “Are you taking the rap for that?” and “I told you, (expletive).” He then fired nine shots into the truck, striking Overby, who was pronounced dead at the scene. A friend recalled Overby’s last words were, “I didn’t…”

The investigation quickly focused on Jamal Adams, a 31-year-old man who had a previous violent encounter with Overby. In October 2022, Overby had been working in maintenance at the Budgetel motel in East Ridge when he was called to fix an air conditioner in Adams’ room. Adams later accused Overby of stealing a gun from the room, an accusation Overby denied, though he admitted to mistakenly taking a flashlight that he later returned. Adams was charged with aggravated assault for allegedly stabbing Overby during that dispute, and the case was still pending at the time of the murder.

Chattanooga police used an extensive network of city cameras to piece together the crime. Video evidence showed Adams being dropped off near the scene from a rental car, walking to the truck, and opening fire. Further footage tracked his escape route as he ran behind a house to discard a hoodie and mask before walking to a nearby market, where the same rental car picked him up. Adams was arrested a few days later at a motel in Georgia. Investigators recovered the discarded clothing, and the .380 handgun used in the killing was found at the motel.

Jamal Adams was charged with first-degree murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, coercion of a witness, and reckless endangerment. During his trial, prosecutors argued the killing was a premeditated “execution” and presented evidence that Adams had taken a celebratory selfie moments after the shooting. The defense suggested Adams may have acted out of fear or provocation.

In July 2026, after two days of deliberation, a Hamilton County Criminal Court jury found Jamal Adams guilty on all charges. Upon hearing the first-degree murder verdict, Adams overturned the defense table and was removed from the courtroom. He faces a life sentence in prison. The case is now considered closed, with the latest development being his conviction in July 2026.