On the morning of July 24, 2020, Anthony Larry Sheppard was supposed to be in a Morgan County courtroom for a custody hearing. He never made it.
By the time his attorney asked Hartselle police to check on him, Sheppard was already dead inside his home, the storm door shattered, and the main door left ajar.
Almost six years later, on Friday, May 8, 2026, the woman who orchestrated his killing was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Jaclyn Skuce, 43, of Madison, Alabama, was convicted on three counts of capital murder for hiring a hitman to prevent her child’s father from gaining further custody or visitation.
The case is a stark example of how an Alabama custody battle can collapse into something far worse than a court ruling.
The Killing on the Morning of a Custody Hearing
According to the Morgan County District Attorney’s Office, Sheppard had been scheduled in court on the morning of July 24, 2020, for a custody hearing involving his daughter. When he failed to appear, his attorney requested a welfare check.
Hartselle police arrived to find the shattered storm door, the open main door, and Sheppard dead inside with multiple gunshot wounds.
The state’s medical examiner later testified that Sheppard had been shot five times. Witnesses, including alleged getaway driver KJ Smart, told jurors the shooting was the final step in a plan Skuce had been arranging for months.
Smart testified that he heard Skuce say she needed to “get rid of someone” and have someone “taken care of. “The death was no random act. Prosecutors argued it was a planned operation timed to the exact morning Sheppard was due in an Alabama custody hearing.
A Murder for Hire Allegedly Arranged on Facebook
Investigators identified Logan Delp, a Hartselle resident, as the man who pulled the trigger. According to the Morgan County District Attorney’s Office, Skuce used social media to arrange the killing and offered Delp $30,000 for the job.
Prosecutors said Skuce admitted in an FBI interview played for the jury that she had paid Delp on Facebook to kill Sheppard. Smart testified that Skuce, Delp, and others met at a Huntsville motel, where she gave Delp the instruction to “take (Shepard) out.”
Months later, Smart said, he drove Delp to Sheppard’s home in the early hours of July 24, 2020, and waited as the shooting unfolded inside.
These pieces of evidence formed the spine of the prosecution’s case.
The Defense, Years of Police Reports, and a Disputed Confession
Skuce’s attorneys did not contest that she paid Delp. They contested why.
The defense told jurors that Skuce had filed 32 police reports against Sheppard during their custody battle, alleging abuse and threats toward her and her daughter.
An investigator testified that Sheppard had been indicted by a grand jury for child sexual abuse based on the daughter’s disclosures, but the district attorney’s office declined to bring formal charges, citing reservations during an ongoing custody dispute.
A licensed counselor told the court that one of Skuce’s children had disclosed abuse during therapy sessions.
The defense argued Skuce paid Delp to protect her, not to kill Sheppard. A forensic psychologist testified that interrogation techniques and emotional distress can influence statements made to investigators, raising the possibility of a false confession during her FBI interview.
The jury heard both sides. They sided with the prosecution.
A Verdict Six Years in the Making
After the verdict on Friday, May 8, 2026, Sheppard’s family addressed the court. His mother told the judge, “For six years we have wanted justice… It’s been very hard every single day to think of the horrible death my son endured.”
His sister reminded the courtroom that her brother was a father, son, and brother, not just a name on a docket.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery praised the jury’s process. “There are never any winners in a case like this,” he said.
“This jury was incredibly thorough and took their time to make sure they made the right decision, both for Mr. Sheppard and for the defendant.” Vickery added, “We are glad that they convicted her for the choice she made to take Mr. Sheppard away from his family.”
On the question of intent, Vickery said, “Obviously, we agreed with the jury assessment that this was Ms. Skuce’s intent, all along to murder Larry Shepherd through the use of essentially a hitman.”
Skuce was found guilty on all three counts and will serve life without parole in the Alabama Department of Corrections.
The Cases Still Pending
Skuce’s conviction is one piece of a still unresolved set of prosecutions. Five people in total have been charged with capital murder in connection with Sheppard’s death.
The current state of those cases breaks down as follows.
- Logan Delp. Convicted of capital murder in October 2025 for carrying out the shooting.
- KJ Smart. Pleaded down from capital murder to murder in exchange for his testimony against Skuce.
- Two additional defendants. Charged with capital murder and currently awaiting trial.
The Morgan County District Attorney’s Office has signaled that prosecutions will continue until every defendant has been held accountable.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Jaclyn Skuce Murder for Hire Case
Readers following the case have raised the same set of practical and legal questions. The most common ones are addressed below.
When Was Jaclyn Skuce Sentenced?
A Morgan County jury convicted Skuce on Friday, May 8, 2026, and a judge sentenced her the same day to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
What Charges Did the Jury Return?
Skuce was found guilty of three counts of capital murder, specifically murder for hire, murder of a witness, and murder committed by shooting into an occupied dwelling.
Who Else Was Charged in the Case?
Five defendants in total were charged with capital murder. Logan Delp, the alleged shooter, was convicted in October 2025. KJ Smart pleaded down in exchange for his testimony. Two others are still awaiting trial.
What Role Did the Custody Dispute Play?
Prosecutors argued the killing was directly tied to the custody case, pointing out that Sheppard was scheduled in court the same morning he was killed.
The defense argued Skuce paid Delp out of fear for her safety and her daughter’s safety, not to orchestrate a murder.
These answers point to a case likely to be studied for years as one of the most extreme examples of how an Alabama custody fight can escalate beyond the courtroom.
When a Custody Case Needs the Right Kind of Counsel
Custody disputes rarely turn violent, but they almost always turn emotional. The choices people make in those moments, both inside and outside the courthouse, shape the outcome for years.
Our experienced family law attorneys here at Baxley Maniscalco work from our office in Oxford, Alabama, to help parents navigate custody cases with strategy, documentation, and clear legal guidance, so the answers come from a courtroom rather than anywhere else.
Contact Baxley Maniscalco today to schedule a confidential consultation. Whether you’re entering a custody case or already in one, we’re here to listen and to help you protect what matters most.
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