Odinn Dee Freeman, a beloved fiancé, brother, and friend, was a man whose life journey took him from Iceland to Alabama, where he found a home and a community that cherished him. Born on July 7, 1976, in Phoenix, Arizona, Odinn, a 47-year-old White man, spent his early childhood in Iceland before his family moved back to the United States in 1984. He grew up in Stafford, Virginia, and graduated from Brooke Pointe High School in 1995. Over the years, he lived in Virginia and Indiana before finally settling in the Huntsville, Alabama, area. It was there he earned his commercial driving license and worked for White Oak and Carter Express trucking companies.
In Alabama, Odinn found love with his fiancée, Katina Carter, and they built a life together in Harvest. He was known as an avid Ford Mustang enthusiast and was an active member of the Rocket City Mustang Club in Huntsville.
When he wasn't working on his cars, he enjoyed spending time with Katina, attending Rocket City Trash Pandas baseball games, and playing with their dogs. He was remembered for his warm personality and the countless friendships he cultivated throughout his life.
The evening of Saturday, October 28, 2023, turned tragic on Harvest Road in Madison County. Deputies from the Madison County Sheriff's Office were called to the scene of a shooting that occurred in front of a residence. When they arrived, they found Odinn Freeman suffering from gunshot wounds. At the scene, deputies also made contact with an individual described as the "suspected shooter."
Emergency medical services rushed Odinn to Huntsville Hospital for treatment. Despite the efforts of the medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The Madison County Sheriff's Office quickly classified his death as a homicide and launched an investigation into the fatal shooting.
The investigation into Odinn's death remains active and ongoing. In the immediate aftermath, the Sheriff's Office confirmed that while they had been in contact with a suspected shooter at the scene, no arrests had been made. Authorities have not publicly released further details about the circumstances that led to the shooting, a potential motive, or the identity of the person they questioned. The case continues to be a priority for investigators as they work to piece together the events of that night.
Odinn was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Oddny Elva Gerstner, his brother, Edward Coleman Gerstner, and his sisters, Katrina Jongepier and Mary Twiggs. He is survived by his fiancée, Katina Carter; his sisters, Lisa Freeman and Oddny Gerstner; and his niece, Rachael Yerby, along with a vast circle of friends who felt his loss deeply. A visitation for Odinn was held on Sunday, November 5, 2023, at Berryhill Funeral Home, followed by a service in the chapel.
As of late 2023, the investigation into Odinn Freeman's homicide is still open, and no arrests have been announced by the Madison County Sheriff's Office. His loved ones and the Harvest community are left waiting for answers and for justice to be served in the violent death of a man remembered for his passions and his kindness.
