Kristy Gladden Hancock, 38, was found dead at her County Road 221 home in Crossville, Alabama, on June 25, 2024. Responding officers discovered her unconscious with a fatal gunshot wound after a call about an unresponsive woman. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and officers from Collinsville and Crossville opened an investigation.

Neighbors reported seeing a man near the residence who was later identified as 27-year-old James Michael Howard Jr. Investigators established that Howard had been at Hancock’s home earlier that morning. After interviews and evidence collection at the scene, Howard was arrested and charged with murder and public intoxication; court documents place the time of the shooting at about 7:00 a.m. Howard was booked into the DeKalb County Detention Center shortly after his arrest.

If anyone saw activity on County Road 221 that morning or has information about Hancock’s movements or visitors, please share what is known with investigators.