An Alabama man brutally murdered a senior citizen while robbing her home. Now, he will never walk free again.
Montgomery County Circuit Judge J.R. Gaines sentenced Rodney McQueen, 33, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the beating death of Mary Lou Gedel. McQueen was found guilty and convicted by a jury of capital murder during a robbery and capital murder during a burglary.
“It breaks my heart to know that Ms. Mary Lou Gedel, a vibrant, active woman who selflessly helped her fellow seniors and other Montgomery County citizens in need, experienced such unfathomable atrocities during her last moments on this earth. The level of brutality inflicted upon her was senseless and heinously cruel,” said Montgomery District Attorney Daryl Bailey, according to Montgomery Advertiser.
On Sept. 28, 2017, McQueen broke into the victim’s home with the intent to rob her belongings to satisfy his craving for drugs. Upon a forced entry into the house, the defendant used a brass lamp to beat Gedel, crushing her voice box. In addition, McQueen continued to inflict severe damage on the 92-year-old Gedel’s face using a broken beer bottle and eventually cutting off one of her ears.
According to prosecutors, their preferred sentence for McQueen would have been the death penalty. However, under Alabama law, the state is prohibited from executing individuals with mental disabilities.
The victim had a German Shepherd before her demise. After the homicide, the dog could not walk and refused to eat. Authorities had to put the dog down due to its debilitating physical state, age, and arthritis. However, neighbors told authorities the dog was okay before the attack and wondered if the dog had also been beaten, reported WSFA.
Gedel was an alumnus of John Hopkins and Cornell University. She was an employee of the state of Alabama and served as a dietitian for many years.
