Alabama Shooting Spree, Murder, & Suicide: 10 March 2009

1. Michael McLendon ... 26 years old had (along with his mother - Lisa McLendon, 52) filed a lawsuit against Pilgrim's Pride Poultry Company to recover benefits due his mother who had worked there and had been laid off.  She was said to have "mis-stated" her hours.  She was to resume work there on March 17th.  He had also worked at Pilgrim's Pride.  Pilgrim's Pride wasn't the only company he was upset with.  Michael had a revenge list of those who had "...done him wrong":

• Pilgrim's Pride
• Kelley's Foods
• Reliable Metals

were among those listed. 

• McLendon had trained to be a police officer in 2003, but never completed the training.   McLendon was 5' 8" & weighed 208 lbs.   He was temporarily hired as an officer for the Samson Police Department but was only at the academy for 2 weeks.  On August 29th, 2003, McLendon came to the Montgomery Police Academy but left 12 days alter after failing the entrance physcial exam.
  
  
• McLendon called the Samson City Hall at 1:10 PM on Tuesday the 10th... the day of the shooting ... and asked the clerk if a town council meeting was scheduled for later that evening.  He sounded as if he was in a hurry.
  
  
• The Mayor of Samson had coached McLendon in "T-Ball" and Little League Baseball and said he was a good kid, reserved and respectful.  He was kind of quiet, but not abnormally so.  He always did what he was asked to do.
  
  
• He also had worked for Reliable Metals that same year.  He was working at Kelley's Foods until he "unexpectedly" quit his job in the week before the shootings.
  
  
• Police were alerted when neighbors called the Fire Department to report that Lisa McLendon's house was on fire.
  
  
• Her son, Mark, shot her ... in the head;   had thrown her on her sofa, piled her 3 dogs (which he also shot)  on top of her ... added  some clothes which he doused with lighter fluid ... then set them & the whole house on fire.
  
  
• McLendon lived with his mother but had been raised by his Grandfather.
  
  
• No mention has been made of his Father.  His parents were divorced.
  

1. At 1:10 PM, McLendon calls Samson City Hall to ask if Town Council was meeting that evening.
   
   
2. "Around" 2:00PM:  Neighbor speaks to McLendon about an hour before the shootings began.  According to neighbor, Mother (Lisa McLendon) had left him (the neighbor)  a note about some yard/garden work as her tiller was broken.  Around 2PM, this neighbor went to the McLendon house and spoke to Michael McLendon at some length... took a look at the tiller...  but didn't see the mother. 
   
   Next,  "about an hour later" ....  "a man driving by the McLendon house saw smoke and came to his (the neighbor's) house blowing his horn and saying to call 911.
   
   
3. About 3:30 PM Fire Department gets the call
   
   
4. Just before 4PM, first shootings start, and continue for 23-28 miles.
   
   
5. 4:17 PM CDT:  Cornered and Surrounded, McLendon exits his car, exchanges fire, runs into Reliable Metals and shoots himself in the head.
   

• His dream was to become a Marine and later,  a police officer.  He also disliked certain of his family members.  He was upset with certain other people who had:

1. Michael also had accumulated stacks of DVD's  on how to carry out the mayhem he displayed on his last day on earth.
   
   
2. Michael was known to spend time behind his house firing weapons and had a list of weapons he was trying to buy.  During his shooting spree, he was armed with 4 guns (including 2 assault rifles).
   
   
3. Michael had a confidant.  Just days before the shooting he stated that he was at a point in his life when he needed to "do something different".