Dornell Cousette

On the evening of September 16, 2019, the city of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, lost a dedicated public servant in the line of duty. Dornell Cousette, a 40-year-old Black investigator with the Tuscaloosa Police Department, was fatally shot while trying to make an arrest. A 13-year veteran of the force and a U.S. Army veteran, Investigator Cousette was remembered as a loving father, brother, and fiancé. He was particularly known for his commitment to the community's youth, serving as a standout agent in the juvenile division and mentoring young people to keep them out of trouble.

That day, Investigator Cousette was attempting to serve felony warrants on Luther Bernard Watkins, Jr., who was 20 years old at the time. Acting on information from a bail bondsman he was working with, Cousette located Watkins at a residence on 33rd Avenue. When the investigator arrived, Watkins fled into the house. Cousette pursued him inside, where an exchange of gunfire occurred. Investigator Cousette was struck in the face. He was able to return fire and injure Watkins before collapsing. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Following the shooting, Watkins sought treatment for his own gunshot wounds at a different hospital, where he was subsequently arrested by authorities. He was charged with capital murder in the death of Investigator Cousette.

The trial began in February 2026. The prosecution, led by District Attorney Hays Webb, argued that Watkins was a "cold-blooded killer" who intentionally shot Investigator Cousette to avoid being arrested on his outstanding warrants. The defense acknowledged that Watkins fired the fatal shot but contended that he acted in self-defense, claiming that Cousette fired first and struck Watkins in the back. During the trial, jurors were shown body camera footage from the first responding officer, which captured the grave aftermath of the shooting.

On February 13, 2026, a jury found Luther Bernard Watkins, Jr. guilty of capital murder. During the sentencing hearing that followed, witnesses for the prosecution spoke of Cousette's positive impact on his family and community, while Watkins' family pleaded for his life to be spared. On February 19, 2026, Watkins was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, closing a long legal process that began more than six years earlier.