August 17, 2026

76 Year Old Mobile Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Shooting Death

By Dale Hines
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News

August 17, 2026

MOBILE, AL. A 76-year-old Mobile man who was arrested last year in the shooting death of a woman has been found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison.

Walter Thames was convicted in May of provocation manslaughter in connection with the July 4, 2025, shooting at an extended-stay motel on Matzenger Drive, where Thames was living.

Police charged him with the shooting of 65-year-old Patricia Odoms who died July 13, 2025, after nine days on life support.

Thames was initially charged with murder. A jury convicted him of the lesser charge of provocation manslaughter in May, finding that he acted in the heat of the moment rather than with premeditation.

Thames claimed self-defense, saying Odoms had a machete. Prosecutors said the machete was across the room from where Odoms collapsed and accused Thames of altering the scene and lying to investigators.

The family of Odoms said that they were satisfied with the sentence.

Before sentencing, Thames addressed Odoms’ family directly, asking for forgiveness and saying, “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me because it was not my intention.”

Judge Windom told Thames he had shown “little remorse” throughout the trial. Despite the defense arguing that 20 years would effectively be a life sentence for Thames given his age, Windom imposed the maximum sentence.

Thames is expected to appeal. He will serve his sentence in the Alabama Department of Corrections.

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