On September 11, 1982, Ken Dooley, a Youth Development Center employee in Rome, Georgia, was shot at in his home by an unseen attacker. The following day, Dooley’s coworker, Linda Adair, was also attacked when someone threw a Molotov cocktail at her house in an attempt to kill her. Although neither Dooley nor Adair knew it at the time, these were the first attacks in the violent crime spree of Alvin and Judith Ann Neelley, a married couple whose brutality would shock in and around Georgia in the fall of 1982.

Thank you the the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for Research Assistance.

References

Anniston Star. 1982. "Woman seeks juvenile status in slaying." Anniston Star , December 2: 28.

Associated Press. 1982. "Probe covers two states in death, disappearance." Anniston Star, October 6: 10.

Birmingham Post-Herald. 1982. "Jury indicts Mrs. Neelley on capital murder." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 29: 2.

—. 1982. "Neelley's wife sits while he talks." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 22: 2.

—. 1982. "Suspect in canyon deaths gives details of 7 more slayings." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 22: 1.

—. 1982. "Woman killed 2, authorities charge." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 16: 1.

Columbus Enquirer. 1982. "13-year-old found dead." Columbus Enquirer, October 1: 7.

—. 1983. "Neelley jury suggests life without parole." Columbus Enquirer, March 23: 1.

Cook, Thomas H. 1990. Early Graves: The Shocking True-Crime Story of the Yongest Woman Ever Sentenced to Death Row. Boston, MA: E.P. Dutton.

Dunnavant, Bob. 1983. "Jury hears 'robot' defense." Birmingham Post-Herald, March 10: 1.

Judith Ann Neelley v. State of Alabama. 1985. 494 So. 2d 669 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, March 12).

Morning Press. 1983. "Neelley to get death penalty." Morning Press, April 19: 1.

Neelley vs. Alabama. 1989. 88-5806 (United States Supreme Court, January 9).

Thompson, Tracy. 1982. "Luck, guesswork led to suspects." Atlanta Constitution, October 16: 23.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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