Acie & Carolyn Worthy

  Acie & Carolyn Worthy 

October 16th 1989

McCalla, Alabama

On October 16th 1989 at 12:43 a.m. volunteer firefighters were called to the home of Acie and Carolyn Worthy, the home was engulfed in flames. Firefighters pulled the remains of Acie and Carolyn from the home, as a result of the fire it was difficult to determine their cause of death. During the autopsy it was discovered that the couple had not died from smoke inhalation but from multiple gunshots. Officers determined that the couple had been shot outside the home, as they arrived from church and then dragged inside the house, where it was subsequently set on fire to hide evidence of the crime. 

The wealthy couple were active in their church and the local VFW. Despite their wealth, very little was taken from the home during the murder, robbery was ruled out as a motive. Many investigators believe that the couple were targeted; in May of 1988 Carolyn was confronted by a masked gunman inside of her home, however, Carolyn also had a gun and a standoff ensued. Carolyn was able to escape the situation and reported it to the police. One month later, neighborhood children spotted a man in camouflage using a scope to look at the Worthy's home, they alerted their parents whom called the police. By the time they arrived, the man had vanished. Just four months before the couple's death their home had mysteriously caught fire while under construction, was it just a coincidence or was it attempted murder?

Nine months prior to the couple's murder, another couple was murdered in a similar way in Graceville, Florida. On January 29th 1989, Robert and Katherine McRae were discovered murdered inside their home. At the crime scene, two ski masks were discovered which ultimately linked both crimes to each other. 

If you have any information regarding this case please contact the Tuscaloosa Homicide Unit at (205) 464-8690. 

Unsolved murder remains a mystery 25 years later
29 years later, killing of Acie and Carolyn Worthy still unsolved