Alabama News

A north Alabama man is now facing capital murder charges after allegedly hitting a woman with her own vehicle before attempting to burn her body.

In a press conference Wednesday, Florence Chief of Police Mike Holt and Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly updated the public on the murder case of 38-year-old Autumn Paige Strickland.

Holt thanked the Florence community and said their continued involvement in the case “made a massive difference.”

Connolly said the case was presented to a grand jury last week that decided to upgrade the charges against 28-year-old Logan Rogers.

After “a lot of consideration” prosecutors have decided to seek the death penalty, Connolly announced Wednesday.

“We don’t take that decision lightly, and we recognize the gravity of that decision,” he said.

“…We recognize the seriousness of what we are embarking on here. And that the death penalty is reserved for the most heinous of cases.”

“And I would submit to you that this is one of those cases,” Connolly continued.

Strickland, who leaves behind a young daughter, was reported missing the weekend of May 17, and her remains were found on May 20 in a burn barrel on Rogers’ property.

Charging documents against Rogers say Strickland was hit twice by a Kia Soul driven by the suspect.

“Video evidence supports that Logan Rogers struck the victim twice and that is act was intentional due to the location and manner in which it was carried out,” Det. Justin Adams wrote in his criminal complaint.

The killing happened in the 1600 block of North Wood Avenue in Florence in what investigators say was a chance meeting between the two.

The detective wrote that Rogers struck Strickland with the car once, circled around and then hit her a second time.

Thirty minutes later, video shows, Rogers returned to the scene with a pickup truck and put what investigators believe was Strickland’s body into the vehicle.

Strickland’s cell phone was later found in the exact location that she was hit by the car, Adams wrote.

Police arrested Rogers at his home in the 2200 block of North Wood Street.

When asked by reporters if a motive had been made clear during the investigation, Connolly responded: “Well there’s pure evil.”

A trial date has not been set for the case as of July 23, Connolly said.

Court records show Rogers was arrested earlier this year in Marion County on charges of making a terrorist threat and domestic violence involving his parents.

Rogers reportedly was often violent toward his parents and threatened to kill them, records show.

His mother obtained a protection from abuse order earlier this year, chronicling the threats and fear.

“I never know from one minute til the next how he will be,” she wrote. “The least little thing set’s him off.”

“I’m physically and mentally traumatized.”

By Adelina Romero & Rebecca Raghunath | Edited by Angela Kocherga & Alfredo Corchado

EL PASO, TEXAS — Seven months into President Donald Trump’s second term, sweeping changes to federal immigration policy have escalated deportations, cut millions of dollars in federal funding to nonprofits providing legal aid for immigrants, and revoked protections for sensitive spaces, including churches.

Here in El Paso, faith leaders and organizations that have long provided resources for migrants are raising alarms over policies they say are instilling fear and undermining humanitarian efforts.

“People are afraid to go out for groceries. They’re afraid to go to church,” said El Paso’s Catholic Bishop Mark Seitz. “I really don’t believe fear adequately describes it. It’s terror.”

The issue of immigration has morphed into mass protests in Los Angeles and multiple cities across the country against sweeping ICE raids that include work sites and other locations. At least one person was on church property when they were picked up by agents, according to reports. Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native and a descendant of Sicilian immigrants, has called for the protection of immigrants, the poor, and the most vulnerable, following the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis.

“No one is exempt from ensuring the dignity of every person,” the pontiff said. “From the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike.”

In rescinding the policy, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said, “The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”

Sensitive locations

For Bishop Seitz, the diocese’s mission to protect the vulnerable has never been clearer as the Trump administration carries out what critics, including Seitz, have called mass deportations based on racial profiling.

“It was the intention of the administration so that people would leave — to appeal to those who don’t want anybody in this country except people that look like them,” Seitz said. “You have to be constantly worried. Constantly on guard.”

In October of 2021, the Biden administration expanded the definition of sensitive locations to “protected areas” that imposed greater restrictions for ICE to enter spaces such as schools, healthcare facilities, social services establishments, disaster relief centers, and places of worship. Now, no space is off-limits.

On his first day of his second term, President Trump rolled back the nonpartisan “sensitive locations” policy, dating back to the Clinton administration, which encouraged immigration and customs agents to use “good judgment” to engage in enforcement in sensitive areas.

The policy reversal has sparked multiple lawsuits from faith groups across the country, including the Quakers in Maryland and in Oregon, arguing that the new policies violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the First Amendment.

In January, a federal judge in Maryland blocked parts of Trump’s executive order. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang ruled that the policy imposed a “real and substantial burden” on religious organizations that historically aid immigrants.

“The burden imposed by the policy is far from speculative,” Chuang wrote in his opinion. “It is already happening.”

In the border city of El Paso, one of the largest binational communities in the country, the immigration crackdown has sowed fear among many people of color, generating multiple protests. More than 80 percent of El Paso’s population is Hispanic.

‘A moment of hopeful resistance’

This spring, Bishop Seitz led a candlelight vigil through downtown El Paso to Sacred Heart Church, which served as a shelter for migrant families during a large influx of immigrants seeking asylum in 2022. He was joined by faith leaders from across the U.S., Mexico, Central America, and the Vatican.

“It was a moment of creative, hopeful resistance,” said Dylan Corbett, executive director of the grassroots community organization Hope Border Institute in El Paso. “The testimony of people affected by these policies has to be at the center of our response.”

In a militarized region, that resistance comes with growing risks, as faith-based nonprofits fear they could be swept up in a crackdown. Operation Lone Star is Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s border enforcement initiative, which included the deployment of 10,000 National Guard troops and Texas state troopers along the U.S.-Mexico border. Faith-based nonprofit organizations fear they could face consequences for providing humanitarian aid to undocumented immigrants.

“We’ve got a target on our back now,” Corbett said. “They may go after us for smuggling or trafficking charges.”

That threat became real last June when Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton attempted to shut down Annunciation House, which provides temporary shelter to migrants in El Paso. Paxton called the Catholic organization a “stash house” and requested records detailing those who received services. Annunciation House pushed back, arguing that disclosing those records, which include medical files and sensitive personal information, would violate clients’ privacy rights and the organization’s religious freedom.

In late May, the Texas Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Paxton has the authority to demand records needed to proceed with his lawsuit targeting the shelter. The court, however, did not address the merits of the case.

Meanwhile, advocates say that some migrants, including asylum seekers with pending cases, are increasingly choosing to go back to their home countries rather than risk arrest.

“What they are returning to may be worse in terms of the actual danger to their lives, but somehow to be in a place like the United States today feels more dangerous,” said Seitz.

As the threat of mass deportation looms, Corbett’s Hope Border Institute has pivoted to help migrants plan voluntary returns to their home countries.

“We helped a family get back to Venezuela safely,” said Corbett. “That’s where we are now, not just defending people’s right to stay, but helping them leave with dignity when they no longer feel safe here.”

Legal aid in crisis

Estrella del Paso, the legal aid ministry of the Catholic Diocese, holds “know-your-rights” workshops, which are now conducted with caution since many are afraid to attend in person.

“If people need to know your rights presentation remotely or they need to do a consultation remotely ‘cause they’re scared, we can make those accommodations,” said Melissa Lopez, Estrella’s executive director.

At a time when their services are in high demand, the nonprofit organization lost $5 million in federal funding and had to furlough nearly half its staff.

“We were a team of 78,” Lopez added. “Now, 30 of those positions are on furlough.”

In early May, the organization received a $25,000 emergency grant from the Border Refugee Assistance Fund, a joint initiative of Bishop Seitz and the Hope Border Institute, to help sustain workshops and pay for legal representation for asylum seekers.

“This grant is a lifeline — not just for our organization, but for the thousands of vulnerable people we serve,” said Lopez in announcing the funding.

Calling this an urgent time of unprecedented demand for legal representation, Seitz said the gospel challenges the faithful to “stand with the vulnerable and ensure that hope and justice remain alive at our border.”

“I don’t think I’m speaking about politics. I’m speaking about faith. Politicians are messing with my faith,” he added.

Family members of people locked away in Alabama’s prisons told lawmakers on Wednesday horror stories from parole hearings.

They said the lack of parole — and the new parole guidelines — take away hope and create dangerous conditions inside a dangerously overcrowded prison system.

“Our prisons’ rising violence, staffing shortages, and our massive growing legal costs are all predictable consequences for reducing the primary incentive for rehabilitation,” said Laura Click, who teaches life skills classes to recently released inmates. “The hope of release for prisoners is the strongest driver of change we have.”

She said last month, there were 21 people at work release facilities — people deemed safe to work in fast food and warehouse jobs by day — who were denied parole and saw their next hearing put off for the maximum amount of time of five years.

“That’s not corrections, that’s warehousing,” said Click.

The speakers at Wednesday morning’s Joint Prison Oversight Committee hearing once again spoke largely about the state’s parole system. The last several meetings of the committee, including a contentious one last fall, have devolved into criticism of the three-member parole board.

Ten people — most of them parents or spouses of people incarcerated — spoke to the four lawmakers who attended the hearing and one who attended virtually.

Colleen Howell said she and her husband went to her son’s parole hearing in May. Her son, Corey, had been locked up for possessing marijuana and Xanax. Howell said she was describing her son’s accomplishments in prison and the classes he was taking, when former parole board chairperson Leigh Gwathney “accused my son of lying to us.”

She said Gwathney dismissed her son’s enrollment in his classes and said those programs were not even offered at the facility where her son was being held.

“No one took the time to verify what he had actually accomplished,” Howell told the committee. “They made a ruling based on misinformation and assumptions.”

Howell said she showed proof from her phone about the achievements, but she was still questioned and her son was denied parole. He was not set for another parole hearing and would have served out the rest of his sentence behind bars.

It wasn’t until she and her family were almost to their cars when someone from the building asked them to come back inside. There, Howell told AL.com, Gwathney “immediately started apologizing.”

“Evidently, after we left the building, she just knew that he was lying,” said Howell. “She started calling, doing whatever she had to do to verify that what we said was true. And she was told that in fact, he was (in the programs he claimed.)”

The board reversed the decision and granted Corey Howell parole. He attended the Wednesday meeting with an ankle monitor, covered by his pants and boots.

Gwathney’s term as the chair of the three-member parole board expired last month. Gov. Kay Ivey did not reappoint her to the seat, and replaced her with Jackson County lawman Hal Nash. Nash started the job last week.

When Howell finished telling her story to the lawmakers, Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, clarified that he had confirmed her story about the parole hearing.

Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, said the issues Howell described are a feature of the system, and he’s hoping for more transparency and oversight of the parole board.

“What we see as a constant right now in our communication is all the work, all the investment that is made on the Department of Corrections side to rehabilitate someone is just almost ignored in less than five minutes in front of the parole board.”

He said he thinks allowing parole applicants to send in video statements will help some of that information sharing.

“I know how this has been painted that it’s just me and others talking about trying to get as many people out as possible,” said England. “Which is furthest from the truth. What it is trying to make a fair system that gives both sides the opportunity to present information so the board can make a well-informed decision about denial or not. That’s the whole point.”

Click, whose husband is serving a life sentence, also complained about the proposal to make the maximum wait between parole hearings for those serving life sentences 10 years instead of the current five. She said it’s unfair and arbitrary.

Some people are sentenced to 1,000 years — although that still amounts to a life sentence – instead of ‘life’ in prison. Under the proposed rule, the person with the thousand-year sentence would get a five-year maximum between hearings instead of a ten-year gap for those sentenced under ‘life.’

Chambliss sponsored that bill. “I can see how that’s an issue,” he said, and vowed to speak with Click.

England also asked several speakers their thoughts on the newly issued state guidelines for who should be granted parole. Carla Crowder, the executive director of Alabama Appleseed, said a portion of the new guidelines could punish people who aren’t able to get a job or find housing while still behind bars, an “extremely difficult” feat.

Three others talked about their loved one’s experiences in Alabama’s lockups. Tim Mathis described losing his son, who was killed in prison after being denied parole last year, and said the measures to reduce violence in the prisons are “wholly inadequate.”

“There’s too many people dying,” he said. “It demands more action than what’s being given.”

Alabama’s prisons are facing several lawsuits, including a federal investigation into prison conditions and the rampant physical and sexual violence that happens inside. The system has been in the federal crosshairs for years, and the latest lawsuit from the Department of Justice is headed toward a trial next spring.

Yolanda Williams, a 20-year Army veteran, told stories of her husband’s life at Fountain Correctional Facility and the “inhabitable” conditions.

“If those were dogs, we would be calling the police.”

In closing remarks, Chambliss said the public’s input has helped the committee create change. “We are listening,” he said. “We are trying to make things better.”

If Howell had already been in her car leaving the parking deck before the parole workers found her in May, “who knows what would have happened,” she said.

“I’d probably still be there,” Corey Howell told AL.com.

“We were there to fight for him,” said Howell, sitting next to her son. “So many people he knows, there is absolutely no family that cares about him. So all they have is what’s in that file in front of them and if… that paperwork isn’t right, there’s people sitting in prison that should not be in prison.”

While there are plenty of storylines at ACC Kickoff, including taking shots at the SEC, Bill Belichick and North Carolina is a popular topic.

Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi offered an animated response to a question about the former New England Patriots coach.

“I expect him to be in the championship game against Pitt this year,” Narduzzi said Wednesday. “You got Bill Belichick, you better be, right?

Of course, Narduzzi said it with a bit of sarcasm and a smile on his face.

For full context, he talked about how it takes so many different pieces to put together a successful puzzle.

“I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t have success,” Narduzzi said. “I don’t have a crystal ball. I’m no genius over here, but he’s a heck of a football coach. But it takes players and it takes coaches, OK? It takes a program together. It takes everybody moving in the same direction. I’m sure with the president there at North Carolina, the new AD now coming in and Belichick and his entire staff, they’ll do a helluva job.”

It wasn’t the only time he was asked about the Super Bowl-winning coach.

He was also asked about what it meant for the league to have Belichick in the league.

“Is this a Pitt question, or is this a North Carolina question?” he replied. “Bill Belichick, one of the greatest coaches to ever coach the game. Won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. I’ve enjoyed conversations with him, whether it be at Amelia Island or in Zoom calls with ACC coaches. He’s a tremendous football coach, really smart.

“Again, he adds a lot of flavor and excitement to the ACC. When you look at Bill Belichick coming to the Atlantic Coast Conference, it just tells you how attractive our conference is.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

The New York Yankees play against the Toronto Blue Jays in an MLB game tonight. The matchup is scheduled to begin at 6:07 p.m. CT on Prime Video. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trial offered by Prime Video.

The Yankees enter this matchup with a 56-45 record, and they have won three of their last four games. In their most recent game, the Yankees defeated Toronto 5-4.

In order to win tonight’s game, the Yankees will need to rely on their star player Aaron Judge. He leads the New York offense with 36 home runs and 82 RBI, so he will look to continue his offensive success this evening.

Notably, Judge also leads the team with a .346 batting average.

The Blue Jays enter this matchup with a 59-42 record, and they have won four of their last five games.

In order to win this game, the Blue Jays will need to rely on their star player Bo Bichette. He leads the Toronto offense with 57 RBI and 116 hits, which highlights his offensive prowess.

Fans can watch this MLB game for free online by using the free trial offered by Prime Video.

A construction site at a school in Baldwin County was raided by federal immigration agents Wednesday morning.

The superintendent said the district is cooperating with law enforcement.

“Our contracts with our construction projects require compliance with federal law. At this time, we have no indication of any wrongdoing,” said Eddie Tyler, superintendent of Baldwin County Schools, in a statement Wednesday.

The raid at Loxley Elementary School occurred at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to WKRG. The station reported 11 people were arrested.

“We remain committed to transparency and accountability in all of our operations,” Tyler said.

The raid comes as President Donald Trump is asking officials to arrest up to 3,000 people each day.

So far in 2025, immigration arrests in Alabama have roughly doubled from the rate of 2024. While many people arrested have had a criminal record, increasing numbers do not have previous arrests or convictions, AL.com found.

The most numbers of arrests in Alabama so far this year have occurred in Baldwin and Mobile counties.

Local law enforcement in those counties recently joined a national partnership program that allows them to work alongside federal agents to arrest immigrants who are unlawfully in the country.

A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Immigration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Boston Red Sox play against the Philadelphia Phillies in an MLB game tonight. The matchup is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The Red Sox enter this matchup with a 54-49 record, and they have lost back-to-back games. In their most recent game, the Red Sox lost 4-1 against Philadelphia.

In order to bounce back tonight, the Red Sox will need a great performance from their star player Trevor Story. He leads the Boston offense with 59 RBI this season, so he will look to continue his offensive success this evening.

The Phillies enter this matchup with a 58-43 record, and they have won back-to-back games.

In order to win this evening, the Phillies will need to rely on their star player Kyle Schwarber. He leads the Philadelphia offense with 33 home runs and 75 RBI, which highlights his offensive prowess.

Notably, Schwarber also leads the team with 68 walks this season.

Fans can watch this MLB game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The popular alternative/indie group Cage The Elephant recently announced a solo October 2025 tour set to kick off Oct. 4 in San Antonio, Texas.

While appearing as a supporting musical act for Oasis’s North American tour, Cage The Elephant is gearing up for their 17-stop October tour. During the month-long tour, the group will hit major cities including Houston, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Boston, Philadelphia and more.

The tour is set to further promote their sixth studio album, “Neon Pill,” which released in 2024.

Joining Cage The Elephant for select dates of the tour are fellow artists Hey, Nothing, Girl Tones, Vlad Holiday, Common People and Bec Lauder and The Noise.

How to grab Cage The Elephant solo tour tickets

Those interested in seeing the Grammy Award-winning band perform live can find tickets available for purchase through Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, StubHub, Viagogo and Seat Geek.

Those looking to purchase tickets via Vivid Seats can enjoy $20 off a $200+ order by using code AL20.

Cage The Elephant solo tour dates

• Oct. 4 – San Antonio, Texas – Boeing Center at Tech Port
• Oct. 6 – Houston, Texas – 713 Music Hall
• Oct. 8 – Corpus Christi, Texas – American Bank Center
• Oct. 11 – Durant, Oklahoma – The Grand Theater
• Oct. 13 – Tulsa, Oklahoma – The Tulsa Theater
• Oct. 14 – Waukee, Iowa – Vibrant Music Hall
• Oct. 16 – Minneapolis, Minnesota – The Armory
• Oct. 17 – Madison, Wisconsin – The Sylvee
• Oct. 19 – Grand Rapids, Michigan – GLC Live at 20 Monroe
• Oct. 20 – Detroit, Michigan – Fox Theatre
• Oct. 21 – Cleveland, Ohio – TempleLive Cleveland Masonic
• Oct. 24 – Atlantic City, New Jersey – Ovation Hall
• Oct. 25 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The Met
• Oct. 26 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
• Oct. 28 & 29 – Port Chester, New York – The Capitol Theatre
• Oct. 30 – Boston, Massachusetts – MGM Music Hall at Fenway

The widely beloved comedy series Acapulco returns to Apple TV+ for its fourth and finale season Wednesday, July 23.

Those hoping to catch the heart-felt conclusion can stream season premiere exclusively through Apple TV+, and those new to the popular streaming service can enjoy a 7-day free trial before committing to a paid subscription.

What is Acapulco about?

Set in 1984, the show follows Máximo Gallardo (Enrique Arrizon) as his dream comes true when he gets the job of a lifetime at Acapulco’s hottest resort, Las Colinas. After starting, though, he soon realizes that working there will be far more complicated than he ever imagined.

What to expect from Acapulco season 4

According to an Apple TV+ press release, season four picks up with present-day Máximo (Eugenio Derbez) as he works tirelessly to restore Las Colinas to its former glory before the grand reopening.

Flashing back to 1986, viewers will see young Máximo do whatever it takes to secure Las Colinas’ future when a competitor claims the number one spot in the annual ranking of Acapulco’s “Best Hotels.”

Episode release schedule

Acapulco season four kicks off with a two-episode premiere Wednesday, July 23 and additional episodes will release weekly on Wednesdays leading up to the finale, which is set to premiere on the streaming platform Wednesday, Sept. 17.

How to watch Acapulco season 4

Those looking to return to Las Colinas for one last hurrah can stream the upcoming season exclusively through Apple TV+. New users receive a 7-day free trial before commitment.

What is Apple TV+?

Designed by Apple, Apple TV+ is a popular streaming service that offers exclusive Apple Original shows and movies from some of the industry’s top talent. New content arrives each month meaning users will never be short of entertaining content to watch.

Along with hit comedies like Acapulco, subscribers can catch other popular Apple TV+ movies, documentaries and award-winning shows.