Salem man allegedly killed relative in deadly Lee County shooting

LEE COUNTY, Ala. (WRBL) – Family ties are at the center of a deadly shooting investigation in Lee County, where a Salem man has been charged with murder following the death of 69-year-old James Barnett. Authorities say they are still working to confirm the exact relationship between the victim and the suspect. Preliminary reports indicate Barnett was allegedly shot by his stepson. A motive has not been released to the public.

Deputies responded to a home on Lee Road 126 in the Salem community around 7:45 p.m. on September 4, 2025. Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton pronounced Barnett dead at the scene and confirmed his body will be transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for a postmortem exam.

Deputies took 51-year-old Richard Lee Hugley into custody early Friday morning. Jail records show Hugley was booked into the Lee County Detention Center at 4:34 a.m. on September 5. He is charged with murder–family, other weapon, domestic violence. Hugley is being held without bond.