A 54-year-old Alabama man, Jeffrey Scott Towers, has been charged with reckless manslaughter following the fatal shooting of his son's girlfriend, 22-year-old Whitney Robeson, in May. The incident occurred whilst Towers was displaying his collection of antique guns to Robeson and his son Brandon at his Trussville home; a .22-calibre revolver discharged, striking Robeson in the upper left chest. She was pronounced dead at hospital that evening, and Towers was arrested and later indicted on the manslaughter charge in August.

Towers was released on a $30,000 bond following his initial booking, and his legal team maintains his innocence, asserting the shooting was accidental and that the loaded firearm's condition was unknown to him. However, the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office has determined that Towers acted with criminal recklessness, a position supported by the Robeson family's civil lawsuit. Toxicology results confirmed neither party had consumed alcohol or drugs at the time. Robeson, who had recently graduated from Auburn University with summa cum laude honours and was a member of the Delta Sigma sorority, will be mourned by those who knew her.