David McCoy, a former Huntsville, Alabama police officer, has been indicted on capital murder charges in connection to the 2022 shooting death of his girlfriend, Courtney Spraggins, and their unborn child. Authorities allege that McCoy shot Spraggins in the head while they were in a parked car outside his Huntsville apartment on January 7, 2022.
According to reports, the 29-year-old off-duty officer called the non-emergency police line to inquire about any reports of gunshots fired in the area, claiming he had been awakened by the sound of a small-caliber gun being fired. When investigators arrived at the scene, they discovered 26-year-old Spraggins with a gunshot wound to the head in the driver’s seat of the car.
Initially, McCoy claimed to have only seen Spraggins once and suggested that she had committed suicide. He later told investigators that he did not know her.
However, evidence at the scene contradicted McCoy’s claims: a photo of McCoy was found inside Spraggins’ vehicle, and text messages on her phone provided insight into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Spraggins had attempted to move into McCoy’s apartment, which he shared with another woman, in December. However, he told her he needed more time. Investigators noted a text exchange between the two, in which Spraggins asked McCoy what she was supposed to do and he responded with a chilling message suggesting a bullet to the head.
During a five-hour interrogation, McCoy eventually admitted to the crime, saying, “I did it.” He also tested positive for gunshot residue, and authorities discovered a pistol that was not his service weapon, along with Spraggins’ cellphone, in a closet in his apartment. Investigators have yet to access Spraggins’ phone due to numerous incorrect passcode attempts.
A few days after the shooting, Huntsville Police Chief Mark McMurray announced McCoy was no longer a police officer.