In the winter of 2024, the life of 37-year-old Cornelius Terell Smith was tragically cut short in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. On the afternoon of Wednesday, December 11th, officers responded to a call at the Forrester Gardens apartments located at 1350 James I Harrison Jr Parkway. Upon arrival, they discovered Smith had sustained a gunshot wound. Despite medical efforts, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries and passed away.
The Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit immediately took charge of the
investigation into what was determined to be a homicide. Their extensive work quickly led to the identification of a suspect, 50-year-old Cedric McClinton Jr. Warrants were issued for McClinton's arrest on serious charges, including one count of murder, one count of attempted murder, and a charge for discharging a firearm into an unoccupied vehicle.
Despite being identified swiftly, McClinton managed to evade law enforcement for a period of time. A manhunt was launched, and authorities actively sought information from the public regarding his whereabouts. The search for McClinton stretched far beyond the confines of Alabama, culminating in his capture nearly 2,500 miles away in Kent, Washington. On February 5, 2025, the Kent Police Department apprehended McClinton, bringing an end to the multi-state search. Following his arrest, McClinton was held in custody awaiting extradition back to Tuscaloosa to face the charges brought against him. Once returned, he was to be booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail.
