A Georgia man was sentenced to death Thursday for killing an Alabama couple during a break-in five years ago that was part of a series of slayings and crimes he committed across the state, court records showed.

Tallapoosa County Circuit Court Judge William I. Whorton handed down the sentence after the jury’s 10-2 recommendation to condemn Columbus, Georgia resident Derrick Hightower, 36, to death for the slayings of Willie Tidwell, 61, and his wife Barbara, 65, inside their Dadeville home.

Hightower was found guilty on four counts of capital murder: two counts of capital murder during a robbery; capital murder during a burglary; and capital murder for the killings of two or more people in one scheme.

He was also convicted of second-degree theft in connection with murdering the Tidwells.

Hightower also faced or is facing charges in two other slayings that occurred during a 2020 crime spree.

In 2023, Hightower pleaded guilty in the shooting death of 36-year-old Antione Harris inside a Birmingham home and to attempted assault for shooting at Birmingham police Sgt. Demarcus Brown during an arrest attempt. He also apologized to the victim’s family.

He avoided the potential death sentence by pleading in Jefferson County. It is not clear why he took the case to trial in Tallapoosa County.

The Columbus man was also charged with capital murder in Lee County for the slaying of 54-year-old Nancy Nash, who police believe was killed when she interrupted a burglary.

A trial date has not yet been set in that case.

All four of the victims were killed between Friday, April 17, 2020, and Saturday, April 18, 2020.

The first known victim in Hightower’s alleged spree was Nash, a grandmother from Smiths Station.

Auburn police responded to the Farmville Volunteer Fire Department’s call for assistance on a vehicle fire in the 9500 block of U.S. Highway 280 West around 6 a.m. that Friday.

When officers arrived, they found a white 2005 Chevrolet Silverado truck on fire and Nash dead nearby at Creative Habitats Landscaping. Nash had been shot several times.

Three shell casings were found inside the business, as well as one projectile that was lodge in an interior wall.

Investigators also discovered Nash’s 2019 black Nissan Frontier missing. Evidence suggested that the suspect or suspects entered the building while Nash was alone inside and robbed her of her vehicle.

Next, Hightower carried out the double murder of the Tidwells. They were found that Friday night by a concerned family member.

Willie and Barbara Tidwell were shot to death in their Dadeville home Friday, April 17, 2020. (Contributed)

Hightower stole two guns from the couple’s home and was also convicted of theft of property.

“Willie was a hard working man, with a heart of gold that could fix anything. He was an avid Alabama fan and he loved fishing, camping and anything Elvis,’’ according to his obituary. “Willie’s family was his world and he loved his grandchildren immensely.”

“Barbara loved her family very much, especially her grandchildren and was happiest when they were all together. She enjoyed sewing and doing crafts,’’ her obituary read. “Barbara enjoyed the simple things in life. She loved sitting on her back porch, reading and planting flowers.”

The couple had been married for 20 years.

Kentrice Hill, 24, of Birmingham, is also charged with capital murder in the Auburn and Dadeville slayings. She remains held without bond in the Lee County Jail.

Hightower was taken into custody April 18, 2020, in Birmingham.

Birmingham police were notified about 11 p.m. Friday, April 17, that a vehicle being sought out of Auburn was spotted at the USA Economy Lodge on Crestwood Boulevard. That vehicle was taken during Nash’s homicide.

Police also received reports that the suspect was seen in the area of the motel.

A silver sedan was seen leaving the area and Birmingham police tried to stop the vehicle. At that point, Hightower got out of the sedan and exchanged gunfire with Birmingham police. Officers lost sight of the suspect after the shooting.

Early that Saturday morning, as police continued their search, evidence led them to a home in the 100 block of Briar Grove Drive.

A resident in the area was letting his dogs out in the backyard to use the restroom when a Black male wearing all black – later identified as Hightower – appeared seemingly out of nowhere and said, “Hey, you got a phone?” the resident told AL.com. The resident asked that his name not be used for fear of retribution.

The resident said, “no,” and Hightower fled on foot toward the area of Briar Grove Road.

Police on Saturday, April 18, 2020, were searching for a suspect who is believed to have been wounded by police gunfire in east Birmingham.

It was then, investigators believe, that the suspect broke into the home where Harris was fatally shot. A nurse and her three children lived at the home but were not there when the home invasion and subsequent shooting took place.

A short time later, the resident who encountered the suspect said, he heard a barrage of gunfire. The next thing he knew, his neighborhood was flooded by SWAT.

Hightower had taken a vehicle from the house on Briar Grove and was in that vehicle when Birmingham police tried to stop him.

He got out of the vehicle and exchanged gunfire with officers before fleeing the scene.

Hightower fled on foot after crashing the stolen car. Police used the tag information on that vehicle to go to the home on Briar Grove Road where they found Harris dead.

A large perimeter was set up in the Crestwood Boulevard and Montevallo Road areas.

Police on Saturday, April 18, 2020, were searching for a suspect who was believed to have been wounded by police gunfire in east Birmingham.

About 4 p.m. that Saturday, Hightower walked out of the neighborhood that backed up to where police had set up their command post.

Authorities said all of the Alabama victims appeared to be random targets, crimes of opportunity. Many of their stolen belongings were found in Hightower’s possession.

Hightower went to prison in Georgia in 2006 on cocaine charges and again in 2014 on an aggravated assault conviction. He was sentenced to 10 years in the assault case, but it wasn’t clear how long he actually served.