Hopkins Indicted In Freezer Murder

Alabama Mobile A Mobile County grand jury has indicted a traveling preacher accused of killing his wife and hiding her body in a freezer.

by Jessica Taloney

Published: Wed, April 15, 2009 - 3:45 pm CST Last Updated: Wed, April 15, 2009 - 3:47 pm CST

A traveling preacher accused of killing his wife and hiding her body in a freezer has been indicted by a Mobile County grand jury.

The grand jury found probable cause to charge Anthony Hopkins with one count of murder for the death of his wife, Arletha Hopkins, and four counts of sex crimes against his daughter.

Hopkins was arrested in July 2008 after police found his wife's body in a freezer at the family's Ryland's Street home. Hopkins was preaching at a revival in Jackson, Alabama when sheriff's deputies took him into custody.

"You had people that appeared to be living normal lives, but it turns out had a deep dark secret," said Nicki Patterson, Chief Assistant District Attorney.

Prosecutors waited several months before presenting the case to a grand jury because of the large amount of forensic evidence. Patterson says investigators had to collect and analyze evidence from four separate crime scenes: the home where Arletha was allegedly murdered, a wooded area where police believe Hopkins first hid her body, a shallow grave in Jackson where the body was briefly buried and the freezer where the body was discovered.

On question still not answered is how Arletha Hopkins was killed. The body was so badly decomposed that a medical examiner could not determine the cause of death.

The grand jury indictment clears the way for a judge to set a trial date.

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EdsweetP Says:

Thu, Apr 16, 2009 at 5:48 pm

I almost forgot sbout this case. And the children? Has the child been born yet and dna gathered? No one has committed on this part of the case.

Violator Says:

Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 6:30 pm

I can’t wait until Attorney Jeff Dean says that the KKK killed this mans wife and put her in this poor mans freezer. And forced him to molest his stepdaughter at gunpoint. It’s a high tech frezzing. Deens defense: “This man is innocnent your honor”, “he is the victim of racism” “This is an outrgage”

Wait4Me Says:

Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 5:35 pm

When will we hear from Gardner and the NAACP about how this is a racial issue and they just dont want a black man to have his dead wife in his freezer.

Violator Says:

Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 5:10 pm

Why did it take 9 months to get an indictment? DA John Tyson works at a snails pace. John Tyson and his incompetent staff are a disgrace to our county. This man can’t get re-elected people. He has made our community unsafe and dangerous by not prosecuting the criminals. He is a politician first and prosecuting attorney last.