By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



A Warrior man accused of beating his mother to death with a softball bat was acquitted on Wednesday.

A jury founds Preston McCombs, 24, not guilty after three days of deliberations. McCombs was charged last May with capital murder and burglary related to death of 44-year-old Sherry Fraught McCombs.

Prosecutors argued that McCombs would have benefitted financially from the death of his mother, and that he planned to live in his mother’s house with Missy Stewart, the manager of a Dora topless bar.

The defense argued that his mother may have been killed by someone who had previously done maintenance work around the home.

Lt. Randy Christian of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said the department was “extremely disappointed” in the outcome of the case and that justice was not served. He said the department will continue the investigation into Sherry McCombs’ death, but did not speculate on any forthcoming arrests.

“If evidence or a witness comes forward that presents something contrary to what we already have, then we certainly would pursue that,” he said.

Sherry McCombs’ body was found on April 29, 2008, in her home in the 1200 block of Arkadelphia Road in Warrior. She had been on a cruise from April 19 through April 28 and had been picked up at the Birmingham airport by her son.

Following the murder, items reportedly stolen from her home were found at Preston McCombs’ residence, located in a wooded area on Rouse Road in Blount County. One of Preston McCombs’ neighbors apparently discovered some of the items and saw his mother’s name on some luggage tags.

An aluminum baseball bat, believed to be the murder weapon, was also found at the residence.