COFFEE COUNTY, Ala (WDHN) — The case of an Elba murder suspect has been placed on hold until the Coffee County District Attorney’s office receives evidence for an indictment.
According to District Attorney James Tarbox, Freddie McGhee’s case was placed on hold on Monday, July 15, and will not be picked up until he is indicted by a Coffee County Grand Jury.
McGhee was arrested alongside Lena McGhee and an unidentified 17-year-old female in February and charged with the murder of Ethan Hill.
DA Tarbox says he placed McGhee’s case on hold to “spare Ethan Hill’s family from having to sit through yet another hearing where the killing of their loved one is described on the witness stand.”
McGhee was set to have a preliminary hearing on Thursday, July 18, during which the prosecution could have called several witnesses; however, that hearing has now been canceled.
The District Attorney tells WDHN his office is waiting on additional evidence such as shell casings from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences to be analyzed, and once they receive that evidence back, he will take McGhee’s case to the Grand Jury for an indictment.
The grand jury is expected to meet again in late November.
If McGhee is indicted, Tarbox says his case will be again pending and can move forward. Until then, McGhee has been remanded to the Alabama Department of Corrections to serve time on two separate cases.
DA Tarbox says McGhee had previously been released on suspended sentences for a robbery and drug arrest in Enterprise. Those suspended sentences were revoked after McGhee’s February arrest.
Stay with WDHN for updates.
