ACTION 8 UPDATE: Ivry Hall pleads guilty to killing fellow Alabama State student Adam Dowdell

ACTION 8 UPDATE: Ivry Hall has pleaded guilty to shooting and killing fellow Alabama State University student Adam Dowdell in 2020.

Hall faces life in prison, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Azzie Oliver.

According to case evidence, Hall and Dowdell were last seen leaving campus together on September 8, 2020. Dowdell’s mother reported him missing a few days later after she couldn’t reach him. ASU police started an investigation into his disappearance.

Montgomery Police investigators later received a call from the Chicago Police Department informing them that a local priest had shared details with them about Dowdell’s disappearance.

Adam Dowdell, Jr./Source: Alabaster Police Department

Detectives said Hall, a native of Chicago, had fled to his hometown and told the priest what happened to his classmate.

Based on that lead, on September 14, 2020, Montgomery police were able to locate Dowdell’s body in the area of Hutchison and Ripley streets, less than a quarter mile from campus. An autopsy determined that Dowdell’s death was caused by a gunshot wound to the back of the head.

Hall is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Brooke Reid on March 9.

“Today’s guilty plea brings this tragic case to a close. While no court proceeding can undo the loss of a young life, this outcome ensures that the defendant will be held fully accountable. The lives of Adam Dowdell’s family and friends have been forever changed by this senseless act of violence. We also recognize the broader impact this case has had on the Alabama State University campus community. I hope this conclusion provides a measure of justice and allows Mr. Dowdell’s loved ones the space to continue healing,” Oliver said.

— Information from the Office of Montgomery County District Attorney Azzie Oliver