Savannah Tolbert, 37, was found shot in the back of the head inside her red Tesla in a Huntsville parking lot on Nov. 15, 2022. Her husband, David Tolbert, told investigators he discovered her there after going to sit in the car and watch television, insisting her death was self-inflicted. A Madison County jury didn’t buy it — convicting him of capital murder in May 2025 and sending him to prison for life without parole.
The case, now the subject of a CBS News “48 Hours” investigation, hinged on security camera footage that undercut David Tolbert’s account from the start. According to CBS News, Savannah was seen entering a store at 1:48 p.m. that day, and cameras later captured David leaving the same store after what he said was finding her body. Investigators also noted that no witnesses reported hearing a gunshot that day, and video evidence never actually showed him firing the fatal shot.
Investigator Greg Hayden said the gun and wound did not match a suicide, according to CBS News. The gun was found in Savannah’s right hand, but the bullet wound was on the left side at the back of her head. A shell casing turned up on the Tesla’s rear seat, behind the driver, and the car was seized for forensic testing.
Forensic Findings Undercut the Suicide Claim
Dr. Jonrika Malone, a state medical examiner with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, testified that Savannah’s gunshot wound was located at the back of her head near the hairline, with no muzzle imprint on her skin. The autopsy report concluded Savannah died from a gunshot wound to the head and ruled the manner of death a homicide, according to CBS News…