Wife charged with murder

The co-owner of a Muscle Shoals business has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of her husband, officials said.

Colbert County Sheriff Ronnie May said a murder warrant was issued against Debbie Kimbrough, 48, 2735 Red Rock Road, Cherokee, on Thursday afternoon.

Murder is a Class A felony that is punishable by 10 years to life in prison, if convicted.

Kimbrough is accused of shooting her husband of 15 years, 63-year-old Howard "Sonny"

Kimbrough.

Sonny Kimbrough's body was found lying in bed in an upstairs bedroom early Wednesday after the sheriff said Kimbrough called a family member and said that she had shot her husband and was threatening to harm herself. The residence is in the Barton community, just southwest of Colbert Steam Plant.

Kimbrough and her husband owned Party World in Muscle Shoals, a children's entertainment business.

She was taken into custody Wednesday morning and placed in the Tuscumbia City Jail, where county female inmates are housed.

May said the warrant was issued after investigators completed their interviews with friends, family members and neighbors Wednesday.

The sheriff said deputies are still trying to develop a motive for the shooting.

"During the course of the investigation, there have been several issues that have come up, but there was constant talk about how (Debbie Kimbrough) had been very depressed over the death of family members over the last few years," May said.

He said Debbie Kimbrough's mother, father and sister had all died within the past three years.

Authorities said Kimbrough has been under constant surveillance at the jail as a precaution.

Investigators said Sonny Kimbrough was shot once near the center of his back with a large-caliber handgun. Authorities said it appeared that he had been dead for some time before his body was discovered.

"Probably, he was shot during the night, while he was asleep," May said.

May said the victim's body has been sent to the state forensic lab for an autopsy.

After finding Sonny Kimbrough's body, May said deputies located Debbie Kimbrough outside the residence hiding underneath a pier near an old pond. The pier extended from a covered porch near the dried-up pond, which was about 150 feet behind the couple's house.

Investigators said Debbie Kimbrough still had a weapon in her possession when she was approached by deputies.

May said Kimbrough is being held on bail totaling $100,000.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.