Alabama Gives Alan Miller New Execution Date of September 26, 2024

Alan Miller, Alabama

Updated: Thursday, September 26, 2024

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, Alan Eugene Miller became the second person to be executed in Alabama by nitrogen gas.  Alan was pronounced dead at 6:38 pm local time inside the execution chamber at the Holeman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama.  Fifty-nine-year-old Alan was convicted of murdering 32-year-old Lee Holdbrooks, 28-year-old Christopher Scott Yancy, and 39-year-old Terry Jarvis on August 5, 1999, in Pelham, Alabama.  Alan has spent the last 24 years on death row in Alabama.

Alan was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in poverty.  Growing up, he had six brothers and sisters and his father was verbally and physically abusive towards Alan’s mother.  Alan’s father and other adult males in his life frequently used drugs and alcohol in front of him.  During his childhood, Alan fell and hit his head several times, causing him to have headaches.  He considered joining the military after high school but would have needed to lose weight.

In January 1999, Alan Miller was fired from his job at Post Airgas Inc., a gas firm, where he had worked for five years. Terry Jarvis was Miller’s supervisor at Post Airgas.  Miller did not like taking orders from Terry, according to coworkers, and there were frequent screaming matches between the two men.  Miller then worked as a truck driver for Ferguson Enterprises, a heating and air-conditioning firm.  Lee Holdbrooks and Christopher Yancy also worked for Ferguson Enterprises.  Miller was allegedly jealous of Lee, whom Miller believed received better and longer trucking routes.

Around 7 am on August 5, 1999, Johnny Cobb, VP of operations, arrived in the parking lot at Ferguson Enterprises.  He recognized several vehicles in the parking lot, such as those of Lee, Scott, and Miller.  As Johnny exited his vehicle he heard a loud sound and what sounded like a person screaming.  Johnny opened the front door and saw Miller walking towards him with a drawn pistol.  Miller told Johnny to get out of his way and Johnny ran around the side of the building.  Miller walked to his personal vehicle and drove away.

Johnny entered the building and found Christopher on the floor in the sales office. Lee was on the floor in the hallway.  Both men were covered in blood and had been shot several times.  Johnny called the police who arrived minutes later.  Police recovered nine shell casings from the scene.

A few minutes later, Miller was seen entering the office of Post Airgas.  Miller accused Terry of “spreading rumors” about him.  When Terry denied it, Miller opened fire.  Miller then turned his weapon on another employee, who begged for his life.  Miller allowed the other employee to leave.  As the employee was leaving, he heard another gunshot.  The employee escaped the building and called the police.  Police found six shell casings at the scene, matching the shell casing found at Ferguson Enterprises.

Police quickly alerted officers of Miller’s vehicle and a description of what he was wearing.  Miller’s vehicle was soon spotted and stopped.  Miller was arrested and during a search of his vehicle, police found a pistol that matched the caliber of casings found at each murder scene.

Miller initially pled not guilty by reason of insanity, however, that plea was later withdrawn and a simple not-guilty plea was entered.  He was convicted and sentenced to death for the three murders.

Alan Miller was previously scheduled to be executed on September 22, 2022.  The start of that execution was delayed due to appeals before the Supreme Court of the United States.  After the Supreme Court declined to halt his execution, Alabama was told they could proceed.  However, technicians struggled to access Alan’s veins to insert the IV lines, eventually leading to the execution being halted.  Following this failed execution, Alan and his attorneys attempted to argue that the state could not attempt to execute him a second time.  That argument was rejected and a new execution date was scheduled.  This time, Alan was set to be executed by nitrogen gas.  He is the second inmate in the state and the nation to be executed using nitrogen gas.

Pray for healing for the families of Lee Holdbrook, Christopher Yancy, and Terry Jarvis.  Pray for strength for the family of Alan Miller. 

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