Killing of Luke McElroy in Alabama in 1949

Incident

Case summary

Luke McElroy (1902 - 1949), a farmer and veteran, was killed by his adjoining neighbor, seventy-two-year-old Alfred H. Davis (a white farmer) and Davis’ sons, Carthon and Robert Davis in Cherokee County, Alabama. McElroy owned 155 acres of land on which he harvested timber. Davis and his sons went over to McElroy’s property and shot him over a dispute over property boundary lines and timber; McElroy accused the Davis family of stealing his timber. Davis was arrested and charged with second degree murder. A grand jury indicted Alfred Davis. An essay on this case, researched and authored by a CRRJ student, is available on request.

Victim(s):

Luke McElroy


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

Robert Davis

Carthon Davis

Alfred Davis

Perpetrator group type: [ ]

Date of incident: 1949-04-09
Location: Farill, Cherokee County, Alabama
Location type: private space - domestic
Allegation against victim: threatening a white man with a knife; being involved in a property boundary dispute

Coroner process
Coroner/inquest: [ ]
Finding of no legal responsibility: [ ]

Criminal process
Arrest: yes
Charge/indictment/information: yes
Grand jury: yes
Trial: yes
Conviction: [ ]
Sentence: [ ]

DOJ case ID:

144-1-66


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
census records - closed
death certificates
federal agency records
maps - closed
military documents - closed
news articles - closed
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