“Georgia Man Faces Capital Murder Charges in Alabama Crime Spree: Derrick Lee Hightower Now in Lee County Jail for Killing of Nancy Nash”

1. “Man pleaded guilty in homicide spree leaving 4 dead charged with killing Lee County grandmother”
2. “Guilty man in deadly spree accused of murdering Lee County grandmother”.

Accident – Death – Obituary News : **Title:** Georgia Man Facing Capital Murder Charges in Alabama Crime Spree Now in Lee County

**Introduction**

A Georgia man who pleaded guilty last year in one of four slayings during a 2020 crime spree across Alabama has been transported to Lee County to face capital murder charges there. Derrick Lee Hightower, 36, pleaded guilty in August to capital murder and attempted assault in separate incidents in Birmingham. Auburn police announced that Hightower has been moved to the Lee County Jail to face charges in the killing of 54-year-old Nancy Nash. He remains held without bond.

**Background**

Hightower pleaded guilty in August to capital murder during a burglary in the shooting death of Antione Harris and to attempted assault for shooting at Birmingham police Sgt. Demarcus Brown during an arrest attempt. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without parole for the Birmingham murder. However, he now faces additional charges in Lee County for the killing of Nancy Nash and in Tallapoosa County for the shooting deaths of Willie and Barbara Tidwell during a break-in at their home.

**Arrival in Lee County**

Hightower was transported from the Jefferson County Jail to the Lee County Jail on January 18. He made his first court appearance in Lee County this week and pleaded not guilty to Nancy Nash’s killing. His attorneys requested that he not be moved to state prison until they could meet with him, and the judge agreed. Hightower remains held without bond.

**Nancy Nash’s Murder**

Nancy Nash was the first known victim in Hightower’s alleged crime spree. Auburn police responded to a vehicle fire in the 9500 block of U.S. Highway 280 West on April 17, 2020. They found a burning truck and discovered Nash dead nearby at Creative Habitats Landscaping. Nash had been shot multiple times. Evidence suggested that the suspect or suspects entered the building while Nash was alone inside and robbed her of her vehicle, a 2019 black Nissan Frontier.

**Double Murder in Dadeville**

Hightower is believed to have been involved in the double murder of Willie and Barbara Tidwell in Dadeville on the same day as Nancy Nash’s killing. The couple was found dead in their home by a concerned family member. Hightower was named a suspect in the case, but formal charges were not filed until a year later. A Tallapoosa grand jury indicted him on two counts of capital murder during a robbery, one count of capital murder during a burglary, one count of capital murder of two or more people, and one count of second-degree theft of property.

**Accomplice Charged**

Kentrice Symonee Hill, 24, of Birmingham, is also charged with capital murder in both the Auburn and Dadeville slayings. She is currently held without bond in the Lee County Jail. Hill is scheduled to go to trial in September for the Lee County case and in December for the Dadeville cases.

**Birmingham Incident**

In the Birmingham case, police received a report that a vehicle sought out of Auburn was seen at a motel. Birmingham police attempted to stop the vehicle but Hightower got out and exchanged gunfire with officers before fleeing the scene. Evidence led investigators to a home where Hightower was believed to have broken in and fatally shot Antione Harris. Hightower then fled on foot, resulting in a large-scale search operation.

**Random Targets**

Authorities believe that all of Hightower’s alleged victims in Alabama were random targets, crimes of opportunity. Many of the stolen belongings from the victims were found in Hightower’s possession. Hightower has a criminal history in Georgia, having served time for cocaine charges in 2006 and an aggravated assault conviction in 2014.

**Conclusion**

Derrick Lee Hightower, the Georgia man responsible for a crime spree across Alabama in 2020, has been transported to Lee County to face capital murder charges. He pleaded guilty to one of the slayings in Birmingham and has already been sentenced to life in prison without parole. Now, he faces additional charges for the killing of Nancy Nash in Lee County and the double murder of Willie and Barbara Tidwell in Dadeville. Hightower’s alleged accomplice, Kentrice Symonee Hill, is also facing capital murder charges. The investigation revealed that all of the victims were targeted randomly, and authorities found stolen belongings in Hightower’s possession..

– Man pleaded guilty in homicide spree that left 4 dead faces charges of killing Lee County grandmother
– Guilty man in deadly spree now charged with killing Lee County grandmother.