A journey from Alabama to Michigan took a fatal turn, ending the life of 36-year-old Girlis H. Serratt on June 3, 2021. Serratt, a male, was traveling with Tommy L. Hightower, 32, with the intention of visiting friends. However, their plans changed, and they decided to seek employment in the tri-state area. This decision led to a heated argument inside their moving vehicle on Interstate 71/75 in northern Kentucky.
The verbal dispute escalated tragically when Hightower, who was driving,
shot Serratt. Immediately after the shooting, Hightower himself contacted the Boone County Public Safety Communications Center to report that he had shot his passenger. Following the dispatcher's instructions, he exited the interstate at the Verona exit and pulled into a gas station where deputies were waiting.
Upon their arrival, law enforcement officers took Hightower into custody without incident. Serratt was found inside the vehicle and was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Tommy L. Hightower, of Jasper, Alabama, was arrested and charged with one count of murder. He was subsequently lodged at the Boone County Detention Center. The investigation confirmed that an argument over whether to remain in the area to find work or return to Alabama preceded the fatal shooting.
