BIBB COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) -- In the wake of tragedy, a family can finally begin moving forward after four years of waiting for a murder conviction.
“I just said, 'Thank God,'" Freeman Rutledge said. "He heard me and my wife’s prayers,”
Freeman and Jackie Rutledge are the parents of Syibrieka Underwood, who was murdered in 2021 by a man she was dating, her parents said.
An Alabama state trooper was driving down U.S. Highway 82 in Tuscaloosa County and found a vehicle on the side of the road in July 2021. When the trooper went to investigate, Underwood was dead in the passenger seat.
Underwood left behind two children.
“The 4-year-old, he’ll never know his mother," Freeman Rutledge said. "But my oldest grandboy, it’s been a strain on him."
Terek Herron-Antone was arrested on murder charges shortly after their daughter was found.
On October 6, 2021, Antone was indicted by a Tuscaloosa County grand jury for unlawfully owning a firearm and murder, according to court records. The case went to trial.
“Guilt," Freeman Rutledge said. "That’s the only thing I was praying for: a guilty verdict."
Yet, it would not be until 2025 his prayers would be answered.
On May 7, 2024, a trial started. Before opening statements occurred, one juror had to leave because of health reasons, a second juror had “improper contact with the victim’s family,” and a third jury “was dismissed for improper communications about the case with a third party,” court documents stated.
The court declared a mistrial in the case May 9, 2024.
“My wife, kids, sister and brother, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, everybody has been under enormous pressure,” Freeman Rutledge said.
As each day passed, the uncertainty of whether a day of justice would come began taking a large toll on Underwood’s family.
“If it wasn’t for the Lord, we wouldn’t have made it through,” Jackie Rutledge said.
On Jan. 16, Freeman and Jackie drove from their home in Brent to the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse.
“I told my wife going up the road. I said, 'I’m ready. I want this over,'” Freeman said.
“I know this was a retrial, so they’ve been through this before, and I know this closure is something that means a lot to them,” said Tuscaloosa County District Attorney Hayes Webb.
While a retrial, it would be the first time Freeman and Jackie came face-to-face with the man who took their daughter’s life.
At 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, Freeman and Jackie entered the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse, stepped in the elevator, and went up to the fourth floor and sat down in Circuit Court Judge Allen May Jr.’s courtroom.
Shortly after, the jurors were sent back for deliberations, Freeman said.
“I don’t know if it was 20 or 25 minutes, [a member of the DA’s office] said, 'We have a verdict,'" Freeman said.
Jurors unanimously found Herron-Antone guilty of murder.
“It was a sense of what you call relief,” Freeman said. “I just said, 'Thank God.' He heard me and my wife’s prayers. After that, we hugged each other, and even though Syibrieka won’t be back here, we got closure."
It took over three years for that closure to come.
“We want to give thanks to the Tuscaloosa DA’s office, police, everyone for time, effort, countless hours they put in to get the conviction in this case,” Freeman said.
There’s still one more court date in their future.
Herron-Antone will appear in court for his sentencing hearing Feb. 26.