Anita Hill is behind bars for the murder of her son’s boyfriend, Jamie Johnson, which occurred at a truck stop in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.
On the evening of April 14, 2014, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a Love’s Truck Stop on Alabama 216 near Interstate 20/59 in McCalla after receiving a 911 call about a shooting, according to the Alabama.
When they arrived on the scene, they found Johnson, 36, on the ground, suffering from a gunshot wound to the back.
He was transported to UAB Medical West Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police learned through an investigation that Hill, who was 51 years old at the time, had plans to meet up with her son at the gas station to talk.
When she arrived, she realized that he had brought his boyfriend of four years, and that’s when an argument ensued.
According to the testimony of Hill’s son, Johnson yelled and cursed at her, then called her a name.
Some sources state that Hill knew Johnson was going to be at the gas station and that she was planning to speak to both of them about their relationship.
At some point during the conversation, Johnson turned around and attempted to walk away. It was then that Hill, of Pickens County, pulled out a revolver from her purse and opened fire.
Hill returned to her vehicle and waited for the police to arrive.
She was arrested on murder charges and booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail, where she was held on a $75,000 bond.
Hill was later released after posting bail.
According to 6 WBRC, Sgt. Dale Phillips with the Tuscaloosa Metro Homicide Unit said, “Witnesses have told us the relationship between these two individuals, the two young men, had been at times possibly physically abusive as well as mentally abusive.”
“We do not see this in any nature being a hate crime. We see this as a family having issues in this. All the people involved in this were either related or had been acquainted for several years.”
During the trial, Hill took the stand and said she had no memory of pulling the trigger, but she said she “snapped” because she felt as though her son’s life was in danger.
Johnson did not hit or threaten Hill or her son at the time, but she said she felt that way because of their history of abuse.
They had reportedly been involved in over 10 domestic violence incidents, and when Hill suggested they get substance abuse treatment, Johnson became angry.
Hill admitted that she shot Johnson, but she said it was because she was “protecting” her son. She also mentioned that she wished “it would have never happened.”
She then apologized to the victim’s family.
“That meant absolutely nothing. Her sorry was too late,” said Johnson’s sister. “I don’t feel like she ever felt like she did anything wrong.”
Prosecutor Eddie Sherlock, a deputy district attorney with the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office, said, “How can someone with their back to somebody be a threat to anyone?”
“She intended to kill him. That gun did not accidentally go off. It was made to go off.”
Her defense attorney, who contended that “she fired the trigger in the heat of passion,” stated that he didn’t “know why she did it; she doesn’t know why she did it.”
“She was provoked to the point where she snapped. It’s not murder, and I think you all know that.”
On Dec. 8, 2016, a jury deliberated for less than an hour before they found Hill guilty of murdering her son’s boyfriend, though her defense team wanted the jury to consider the lesser charge of manslaughter.
She was then handcuffed and taken into custody.
Johnson’s relatives stated that they were relieved when they heard the verdict.
“These last two years have been living h***, knowing that she’s walking the Earth every day and that he couldn’t,” said Johnson’s sister. “This is the answer we were asking for and praying for.”
Hill’s defense attorney said, “I respect the jury’s decision, but respectfully disagree.”
In January 2017, Hill was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and she was given credit for the 47 days she had spent in jail.