Alabama woman charged with murders after elderly woman beaten with hammer dies, man’s body found

An Alabama woman has been charged with two murders, including killing an elderly woman by attacking her with a hammer.

Decatur police said Friday that Mary Hughes was arrested and charged with assault and two murders after a string of events that began to unfold last month.

Police were initially called to an address on Ororke Lane in Decatur on August 25 after a report of a man who was stabbed. Hughes was found at the scene and was charged with domestic violence in the second degree.

A few days later on August 31, law enforcement officers were called to a reported assault at Line Street and Market Street where they found an elderly woman identified as Mimi Marquette who had been struck by a hammer. Police said a witness followed the suspect and called police. They identified the suspect as Hughes.

On September 1 a man’s body was found on East Moulton Street. The body was later identified as James Jefferson. Investigators worked the case and believe Hughes is the primary suspect in Jefferson’s death as well.

On Thursday, Marquette died from injuries sustained in the hammer attack, investigators said.

Hughe was charged with both murders and was being held in the Morgan County Jail on a total of $300,000 in bonds.