On the morning of September 26, 2003, Eric Nelams, a 32-year-old Black man, was ambushed and fatally shot multiple times in the carport of his home on Level Court in Phenix City, Alabama. The attack occurred around 5:30 a.m.; his wife and children were inside the house and unaware until first responders pronounced him dead at the scene. Investigators determined robbery was not the motive and believe multiple suspects lay in wait for his daily routine. A female witness saw people fleeing but could not give clear facial descriptions. No arrests were ever made and the case went cold after repeated interviews over the years.

Nelams had recently been pressured to take the blame for a corporate embezzlement scheme in which a former manager and her husband used him as a fake contractor to siphon more than $450,000. He refused to accept sole responsibility; his family believes that refusal led to his murder. The couple was later convicted of the fraud but have not been publicly named as homicide suspects. The family has pushed for renewed attention with billboards, a petition to the Alabama Attorney General, and a reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Does anyone in Phenix City remember unusual activity around Level Court that morning or saw people who might be linked to Nelams’ case?