A Jefferson County man has pleaded guilty in last year’s shooting death of his 29-year-old son.

Henry Edward Freeman, 52, was initially charged with capital murder in the Aug. 21, 2022, slaying of Dandrei Stepfon Freeman, whose identified his father as the shooter before he died.

Henry Freeman on Thursday entered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of murder and to discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle.

Jefferson County Circuit Judge Alaric May sentenced Henry Freeman to life in prison for the murder conviction and to 20 years for the gun conviction.

The case was set to go to trial in November.

“This was a very sad case,’’ said Jefferson County Chief Deputy District Attorney Joe Roberts. “A father killing his own son is almost unfathomable.”

Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched just before 11 p.m. that Sunday to the 1800 block of Pebble Lake Circle on a report of shots fired in the area.

Authorities learned a domestic violence situation had taken place inside a home there.

Roberts said Henry Freeman was fighting with his wife – Nicole Washington. When their son – Dandrei Freeman – intervened to help his mom, Henry Freeman turned his rage on his son.

“Dandrei and his mother fled the scene, but the defendant got a gun and pursued them,’’ Roberts said.

Henry Freeman eventually ended up catching up to them and shot several times into the vehicle. Dandrei Freeman, a passenger in the vehicle, was wounded.

Henry Freeman fled the scene.

Deputies found the injured son in the woods where he had sought safety after being shot.

“Dandrei’s last words before he collapsed were that his father had shot him,’’ Roberts said.

Dandrei Freeman was taken to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:53 p.m.

Washington was not injured.

Henry Freeman was also charged with attempted murder for shooting at his wife. Roberts said Thursday that charge was dismissed because Washington was no longer cooperating with the prosecution.