Morgan County District Attorney's Office

TRINITY MAN CONVICTED OF SEXUALLY ABUSING CHILD

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE MORGAN COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

May 14, 2026 — Decatur, AL — Romauldo Jimenez, age 62 of Trinity, was convicted this week of Sexual Abuse of a Child Under 12. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Courtney Schellack. The trial was presided over by Circuit Judge Charles Elliott.

In September 2018, an officer with the Decatur Police Department was dispatched to an address in southwest Decatur. A mother had left her residence to run a short errand and had left her eight ( 8 ) year old child home with her cousin’s father. Upon returning home, the child was no longer playing in the yard. The mother called for her child inside the home. The child came out of a room with her shirt on backwards and her shorts unbuttoned. The mother questioned what had happened and the child disclosed that Romauldo Jimenez had been sexually abusing her.

Following an investigation by Decatur Police Department and the Morgan County Department of Human Resources, with the assistance of the Morgan County Child Advocacy Center and Crisis Services of North Alabama, Jimenez was arrested and charged with Sexual Abuse of a Child Under 12.

Assistant District Attorney Courtney Schellack said after the verdict, “This child was left with someone her mother trusted. She was left for less than thirty minutes. Her mother will regret those minutes for the rest of her life. This child bravely faced the man who had threatened and abused her, and she told the jury what he did to her. This jury gave her the justice she deserves.”

Jimenez is facing up to twenty (20) years in the Alabama Department of Corrections. He will remain at the Morgan County Jail until his sentencing on June 17, 2026.

COURTHOUSE REOPENING

The Morgan County Courthouse will reopen to the public on Monday, April 6, 2026. The Morgan County District Attorney’s Office will reopen at the courthouse at 8:30 Monday morning.

Please note: the first floor (Lee Street) entrance will remain closed. The second floor (Cain Street) entrance will be open at 8:00.

Thank you for your patience during the courthouse closure!

TEMPORARY OFFICE RELOCATION

Beginning Tuesday, February 17, 2026, the District Attorney's Office will be relocating to the Temporary Courthouse Annex due to construction at the Morgan County Courthouse. Please note, due to space limitations, not all services will be physically located at the Annex during this time. If you need to contact the District Attorney's Office during this temporary relocation, please see below:

VICTIM SERVICES:
If you are a victim in a case and need to contact the Victim Services Officer, Christina Dotson, please call (256) 560-6135 or email at [email protected].

RESTITUTION RECOVERY UNIT:
Individuals needing to make their monthly payments may visit the Restitution Recovery Unit at the Temporary Courthouse Annex, located at 401 2nd Ave SE, Decatur, AL. If you have questions or need to reach the Restitution Recovery Unit by phone, please call (256) 351-4740.

PRETRIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAM (PTIP):
Defendants requiring assistance with PTIP should call (256) 560-6139 to schedule an appointment with the PTIP coordinator. This office can also be reached by email at [email protected].

If you need any other assistance during the courthouse closure, please contact our office by phone or by email.

Phone: (256) 351-4610
Email: [email protected]

The Morgan County Courthouse will be closed tomorrow, January 26, 2026. If you are a victim or a witness in a case that is set for trial this week, please report to the courthouse on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 9:00 AM.

TWO CONVICTED OF MURDER BY MORGAN COUNTY JURIES

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE MORGAN COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

October 24, 2025 — Decatur, AL — District Attorney Scott Anderson announced today that two defendants were convicted by Morgan County juries this week.

—————-
LOGAN DELP

Logan McKinley Delp, age 41 of Huntsville, was convicted of Capital Murder by a Morgan County jury yesterday, October 23, 2025. The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery and Assistant District Attorney Joe Lewis. The trial was presided over by Circuit Judge Jennifer Howell.

On July 24, 2020, officers with the Hartselle Police Department were dispatched to a home on Dawson Street in reference to a welfare check. Anthony Larry Sheppard did not appear in court for a scheduled custody hearing, and his attorney requested that officers check on him.

Upon arrival, officers found that Sheppard’s storm door was shattered and his main door was ajar. Officers located Sheppard deceased with multiple gunshot wounds. During the course of the investigation, led by Investigator Tania Burgess with the Hartselle Police Department, it was determined that Delp was hired to kill Sheppard in order to prevent him from regaining custody of his child.

The jury deliberated for approximately twenty minutes before finding Delp guilty of capital murder for pecuniary gain and capital murder for shooting into a dwelling.

Delp was sentenced today to life imprisonment in the Alabama Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole.

Following the verdict, Chief Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery stated, “We're happy for the family of Larry Sheppard that the jury returned a guilty verdict of capital murder. This is a small step towards closure for the family, and we will continue to pursue justice for them as best we can."

Four other defendants were charged with capital murder in connection with Sheppard’s death; one of those defendants has pled guilty and three others remain pending trial.
—————-
SPENCER HARWELL

Spencer Harwell, 48 years old of Decatur, was convicted today of murder and trafficking in methamphetamine by a Morgan County jury. The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Scott Anderson and Assistant District Attorney Courtney Schellack. The trial was presided over by Circuit Judge Stephen Brown.

On June 10, 2021, officers with the Decatur Police Department responded to a shooting call at Decatur Door Services on Highway 31 South. Upon arrival, officers located Harwell and Frankie Smith inside the building. Smith was suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Smith was transported to Decatur Morgan Hospital where he later died.

Detective Tony Vest with the Decatur Police Department led the investigation.

Harwell claimed that he was forced to kill Smith when Smith charged at Harwell with a tire iron. Evidence at trial showed that his assertion was not true. Prosecutors showed evidence that Harwell manipulated the scene following the shooting.

While investigating the murder, officers located a trafficking weight of methamphetamine in Harwell’s living quarters.

The jury in this case deliberated for less than three (3) hours before returning a guilty verdict. Harwell will be sentenced on December 16, 2025. Harwell is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison for each offense.

District Attorney Scott Anderson stated, “Justice has been a long time coming in this case but we’re glad to finally be able to give the family some closure. Regardless of the verdict, there’s never any winners in this kind of situation. We are grateful the jury saw the truth in this case.”