Cleo Hunter

[WayneNick]

Was it Cleo Hunter that killed Pat Hinson's daughter?
I remember the story growing up in Demopolis and he killed her just off of Rabbit Road near the old water tower and the white bluffs.

[Bocephus]

He killed a little girl, not sure of her name.

[Bug]

Pate was the last name of the little girl killed by Cleo Hunter.

[Marilyn]

Was just browsing thru some old posts and noticed this one. Was Pat Hinson a teacher at DHS?

[teach11]

Yes. She used to ride with us when Mrs. Melton drove the cheerleaders to games. Our science hall is named after her.

[AUFAN]

Cleo Hunter killed a little girl that last name was Pate. I cant remember her first name but i can remember her. I used to see her at the private pool now the WAP pool. She was a nice girl that live by the old cotton gin. Cleo was a guy that hung around the river. His brother is Fred Hunter that works as a body shop guy at Windam Motors. I was about eight or nine years old when it happend. I can remember the whole town was scared. I remember walking to my Grandfathers home that was located in the trailer park across the westside school. We were told by the teachers not to walk alone. There were police everywhere. Helicopters were flying and men were on top of the grain elevator looking for him. It was said that he could hide from blood hounds. I remember a water patroll named Bill Wilson that was a friend of my dads that said that Cleo told them that at one time he was hidding and Mr. Wilson stepped on his hand while he was under the water. His was caught down around the US Jones school while trying to get something to eat at the old store by the school. One of my classmates named Carl Perry was the one that turned him in. The story as I remember it is that the little girl told him that she lost her dog and he told her that he would help her find it. Her brother was with her and Cleo told him to do somthing like go and look for the dog over by the gin or something like that. Cleo then took her down by the river and raped her and killed her. She was found later that late afternoon. If anyone else knows the story different than I do please correct me. I am 43 years old and might remember it different. But the one thing I do remember is the long week or two it was before they caught him.

[demopnative]

I remember that time like it was yesterday. The girls name was Donna Pate and I think she was in the second grade. I had never see anything like it in Demop. It seemed like the whole town was in a panic. I think Cleo came up for parole a couple of years ago. Anyone know if he got out? I don't think he did..

[sgt501]

i have been keeping tabs on cleo.... all of the parole notices have to be sent to may office and greg griegers office... believe me we have both sent letters to the parole board in response.. aufan you have to story pretty much right.... the parole hearing that was spoken of is coming up in november. if anyone else is interested in sending in a letter to the parole board to stop his parole send me a message and i will give you the address.

[MJB DMD]

My husband Eric Barger along with David Mayton and Mike Buchanan were with Donna at the riverside cemetary that day. Cleo told them that he knew where the dog was and he would show only the girl, the boys must go away. Remember they all were only 6-8 years old. This has haunted Eric and David their entire lives. Eric has actively followed him and with Carraway Hospital providing care for Alabama inmates, he has recused himself of treating any inmates due to the possibility of encountering Mr. Hunter. Although this was 30 years ago and 25 years before I met Eric, it still bothers him everyday. This epsiode of his life makes him super protective of our 10 month old son.

[MJB DMD]

btw Mr Hunters inmate # is 110806, if anyone wants to write a letter to the parole board or the governor.

[MJB DMD]

According to Eric, Pat Hinson's daughter was killed by her father.

[Marilyn]

Hello. I thought that was what I remembered about the Henson's. Pat was one of my teachers when I was at DHS. I think I was already married and gone when it all happened. Such a tragedy. Just a note....even though some of us no longer live in Demopolis, we still think of our friends there. When we read your news, good or bad, we celebrate or symphathize with you. I don't think my parents could have picked a better hometown for me to grow up in. Thanks Demopolis!

[tommysymon]

I remember the murder of Donnah Lynn Pate like it was yesterday I was a student at westside elementery at the time there was a massive manhunt for him I remember them making us go back in for recess because they thought he was spotted in the area of the school the whole town was in a panic

[AUFAN]

Hi Tommy, I hope you are doing good. My dad coached you in pee-wee football and my mom was a teacher.

[HITMAN]

I was always told that Cleo had also participated in the manhunt until it was found out that he was the killer. My mother was a dispatcher for the PD at the time and my father was a dispatcher with the Troopers. They both remember the story. Cleo told her that he new where he dog was at and that it was injuried, but he would only take her to it. He then raped her, hit her on the head, and threw her into the river. After the body was found he joined in on the manhunt until he became the suspect.

[ejsdaughter]

I remember my Daddy telling me that Cleo had hid on top of the lumber stacks at that place (going toward Foscue Park), and watched the law and everyone else look for him. I was little when this happened, but still remember the stories.

[Wonder_Woman]

I remember the murder of Donnah Pate. I was 7 or so at the time. My family was living on McGee street, just a few house from Donnah. About all the houses on McGee St.had young girls living in them. We would all get together at someones house and play. There would be sometimes 10 or more. If you remember..from the street behind McGee St. all the way to the cemetary was nothing but bush and fields.. My brothers and I and other kids had made a bicycle trail from that street to the cemetary. We were always out there playing. Donnah had been at our house playing the day before she was murdered. When we found out, my mom would not allow us to go outside and she was always checking the doors and windows making sure they were locked. I also remember my dad joining in the manhunt for Cleo Hunter. I was told that one of the places that he was hiding was in the sewers. The few nights that my dad was away looking for him was extremely scary for me. The fact that it could have been anyone of us girls that lived on that street has left a scar on me forever, as I am sure it has to all the other girls that lived there. I personally hope that he never gets out of prison!!

[ec14]

I thought that Drew Porter was really the one who killed Pat Hinson's daughter (and got away with it).

[ec14]

What happened at Dollarhide back in the 1970's or maybe 1980's? and what did they do at Dollarhide anyway? Was it some sort of private club or something? I remember some teenagers from Demopolis going there and robbing the place and one ended up getting killed.

[fleming]

Drew Porter (brother of our present Mayor) had nothing to do with Pat Hinson's daughers death. Pat's husband, Jim Hinson was a V. Pres. at Robertson Bank working for Pat's father, Wallace Harper, and one Sunday afternoon he shot his daughter. He was arrested, arraighned, and tried in Marengo Co. For murder. He plead not guilty by reason of insanity and during the trial an incestuous relationship between he and his daughter was brought out. He was found "innocent by reason of insanity", sent to Bryce Hospital in Tuscallosa and after several years he was given "walk away" privaledges, and walked away. Later was found in Florida, could not be forced back because he was not guilty of any Felony. He either died there or still lives there.

[fleming]

Drew Porter, (brother of our current Mayor Cecil Porter Williamson was "allegedly" involved in the robbery of a private card came in the dollorhide area. One Teen was shot, later died, None of this was adjudicated (that I can remember) so must be carefull with language.

[demopolite]

The legend I always heard growing up was:

All of that took place during the seventies, before my time. Something about kids robbing camphouses. One was supposedly murdered, and another (the murdered boy's girlfriend) later committed "suicide" out at Lower Pool, but that there was something rather suspicious about the suicide. There were quite a few names that I always heard connected to this story, but I'm not going to list them here. If you grew up in Demopolis, you know who I'm talking about.

[Ranger]

Intresting stuff here now. :)

[demopolite]

Welcome to the Southern-Gothic that is Demopolis. As juicy as anything you could find in a Faulkner novel, Ranger.

[Ranger]

Is that person yall are talking about that killed themself at lowerpool the sameone one that is supposed to be haunting it?

[LPL]

Negative !
The person who haunts lowerpool is an african american male. Yeah I have seen him !

[demopolite]

There are two different stories about the "Lower Pool Ghost".

One is that it it is haunted by the ghost of slaves hung there (but that doesn't make sense because the trees aren't old enough).

The second story is that it is haunted by the teenage girl who killed herself/was murdered there.

Take your pick.

__________________________________________________ _________

LPL, you sure you just didn't see that crazy guy who walks along the river?? :rofl:

[LPL]

The thing I saw was by the "hang tree" off in the woods at about 1:00am.
It was dark but there was a shadow just walking through the woods.
Now it could have been alive or dead, that I do not now, but we were the only people out there (me and a female companion). It scared her so bad that we had to leave.

[Ranger]

oh, ok. Well better get back on subject. Sorry for the side track.

[corey_murphy]

i have heard my mom talk about all of that. i believe that some of it might have happend after her and my dad moved to south east ga. its all really intresting to me

[ec14]

I always heard that Dollarhide was a hunting club where the higher-ups of Greene/Marengo Counties (even heard Bear Bryant hung out there)hunted, gambled......... One night some Demopolis teens robbed the poker game. A sheriff or deputy was out there and shot and killed one of the teens. I have never heard the other stuff about the girl suicide/murder at the lower pool.

[DEB]

Did this teen girl who was murdered\committed suicide supposedly jump off a boat and drown or did her death involve a boat? I have heard a story about a girl dying from a boat accident in Demopolis years ago but rumor has it she was really pushed off. Alchol was involved among other things. Or is this another tell of a tale....

[demopolite]

Did this teen girl who was murdered\committed suicide supposedly jump off a boat and drown or did her death involve a boat? I have heard a story about a girl dying from a boat accident in Demopolis years ago but rumor has it she was really pushed off. Alchol was involved among other things. Or is this another tell of a tale....

I think that is another story. I think that the girl killed at Lower Pool was shot (or hung?) This would have been around 1972-3.

[HITMAN]

Does anyone know the story of Sally's Hill in Linden?

[hang_em_high]

what is this post about

[debby]

Cleo Hunter killed a little girl that last name was Pate. I cant remember her first name but i can remember her. I used to see her at the private pool now the WAP pool. She was a nice girl that live by the old cotton gin. Cleo was a guy that hung around the river. His brother is Fred Hunter that works as a body shop guy at Windam Motors. I was about eight or nine years old when it happend. I can remember the whole town was scared. I remember walking to my Grandfathers home that was located in the trailer park across the westside school. We were told by the teachers not to walk alone. There were police everywhere. Helicopters were flying and men were on top of the grain elevator looking for him. It was said that he could hide from blood hounds. I remember a water patroll named Bill Wilson that was a friend of my dads that said that Cleo told them that at one time he was hidding and Mr. Wilson stepped on his hand while he was under the water. His was caught down around the US Jones school while trying to get something to eat at the old store by the school. One of my classmates named Carl Perry was the one that turned him in. The story as I remember it is that the little girl told him that she lost her dog and he told her that he would help her find it. Her brother was with her and Cleo told him to do somthing like go and look for the dog over by the gin or something like that. Cleo then took her down by the river and raped her and killed her. She was found later that late afternoon. If anyone else knows the story different than I do please correct me. I am 43 years old and might remember it different. But the one thing I do remember is the long week or two it was before they caught him.


You did good. That is the way I heard it also. My husband was a teenager at the time also in on the man hunt and this what he told me. I did not live here at that time.
It is a very sad story. I think of what she would be doing now. Maybe even on the forums with us enjoying living in our small town.

[Polly]

Drew Porter (brother of our present Mayor) had nothing to do with Pat Hinson's daughers death. Pat's husband, Jim Hinson was a V. Pres. at Robertson Bank working for Pat's father, Wallace Harper, and one Sunday afternoon he shot his daughter. He was arrested, arraighned, and tried in Marengo Co. For murder. He plead not guilty by reason of insanity and during the trial an incestuous relationship between he and his daughter was brought out. He was found "innocent by reason of insanity", sent to Bryce Hospital in Tuscallosa and after several years he was given "walk away" privaledges, and walked away. Later was found in Florida, could not be forced back because he was not guilty of any Felony. He either died there or still lives there.
While in Bryce, Mr. Hinson and his psychiatrist fell in love, got married and moved to Florida. He was out legitimately. What woman in her right mind would marry a man who was known to have sexually abused his daughter her whole life then killed her? This world is full of sick people.

I, like my brother, remember the terror of the Cleo Hunter thing. We were scared to go from our house to our car. It was rumored that he was after blond haired, blue eyed girls....I was so thankful to be a brown haired brunette. I get chills just thinking about that man being released from prison, particularly since I have a 10 year old daughter of my own.