04/22/2026
On Wednesday April 15th jury selection was held in the case State of Alabama v. Freddie McGee Jr. in the Elba Division of Coffee County. Defendant McGee was on trial for the murder of Ethan Hill on February 14, 2024, in Elba. Trial commenced on Monday April 20th with the State being represented by Deputy District Attorney Mary Katherine Toothaker and Assistant District Attorney Kylie Crespo. The trial was presided over by Circuit Judge Shannon Clark. Following the presentation of testimony and evidence, the jury deliberated for approximately one hour and convicted Defendant McGee on the charges of Murder and Attempt to Commit a Controlled Substance Crime on Wednesday April 22nd.
Testimony and evidence showed that Ethan Hill was with friends at their residence on Jones Street on February 14th. Hill had conducted a drug transaction with Defendant McGee and co-defendants at some point during the day. That night, Defendant McGee and his co-defendants came to the residence and Defendant McGee exited the vehicle with a pistol. Ethan Hill defended himself and a struggle ensued for the gun. Defendant McGee’s co-defendants exited the vehicle and McGee was given assistance in fighting Hill. Hill was shot during the fight and Defendant McGee’s co-defendants returned to the vehicle. Hill was on the ground across the street after the fight and Defendant McGee approached him and shot him two times at close range. The cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds.
Following the shooting, Elba Police, Elba Fire, Enterprise Rescue, and the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. Defendant McGee and his co-defendants were developed as suspects and multiple law enforcement agencies became involved in the effort to apprehend the suspects. Defendant McGee and the co-defendants were later captured by members of the US Marshals Gulf Coast Fugitive Recovery Task Force after having been to Ozark and then Enterprise.
District Attorney Tarbox stated, “I am grateful for the jury’s verdict in this case. With this verdict, the family of Ethan Hill will receive justice and a dangerous, multi-time felon will be sent to prison. This result comes from days of hard work by the dedicated detectives of the Elba Police Department. The result also comes from the diligent case review and preparation done by Deputy District Attorney Toothaker.”
The District Attorney’s Office thanks the Elba Police Department, Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, State Bureau of Investigation, Enterprise Police Department, Coffee County Coroner’s Office, and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for their work in the investigation of this case. The District Attorney’s Office also thanks the Wiregrass Angel House for their steadfast devotion to standing by the Hill family during the 26 months this case was pending.
Defendant McGee’s co-defendants disposed of their cases by guilty pleas pursuant to plea agreements with the District Attorney’s Office prior to Defendant McGee’s trial.
Defendant McGee will be sentenced on June 30, 2026.
