Woman murdered Friday

Published 12:05 am Saturday, July 4, 2009

A shooting early Friday morning left a Red Oak woman dead, and her husband charged with her murder.

A Sheriff’s Office spokesman said 63-year-old Dorothy Cravey Copeland was pronounced dead in her North Creek Road home in Florala shortly after 5 a.m.

“Mrs. Copeland had suffered what appeared to be at least one gunshot wound to the head,” the spokesman said. “Investigators have determined that she was murdered by her husband, Bobby Wayne Copeland.”

Law enforcement officers were called to the scene after a 911 call stating “someone might be dead” was received from the residence.

When law enforcement arrived, Dorothy Copeland was found dead inside the home.

Bobby Wayne Copeland, formerly of Dothan, is now charged with one count of murder and is currently being held in the Covington County Jail without bond.

It took investigators close to 10 hours to document and process the scene; however, law enforcement is not releasing Copeland’s motivation for the alleged murder.

He does not have a criminal record and the sheriff’s office has not responded to any reports of domestic violence at North Creek residence or any involving Bobby Copeland, the spokesman said.

Assisting in this investigation were the Covington County Coroner’s Office, the Opp Police Department, the 22nd Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. The Florala EMS and Advanced EMS responded to the scene as well.

Sheriff Dennis Meeks said he and his staff express their condolences to the victim’s family.