Texas Fugitive Killed in Officer-Involved Shooting During Federal Warrant Operation in Alabama

Incident Details and Multi-Agency Operation

PINE HILL, Alabama — A violent confrontation during an early-morning federal warrant execution resulted in the death of 47-year-old Texas fugitive Ernest Christopher Nathan on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, in Marengo County. At approximately 6:00 a.m., members of the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force arrived at a residence in the 100 block of Ruby Drive in Pine Hill to execute a felony arrest warrant. As task force officers approached to take Nathan into custody, an exchange of gunfire ensued, leaving one task force officer wounded. Task force personnel returned fire, fatally striking Nathan, who was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical responders. The injured officer was transported to a regional medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.

Warrant Status and Criminal History Verification

Nathan had been designated a Texas 10 Most Wanted fugitive following a felony warrant issued in February 2024 for failure to appear on a murder charge. Houston Police Department records indicate that Nathan was originally arrested in October 2022 in connection with the fatal shooting of a 32-year-old man outside a Houston food truck on September 25, 2026. Following his initial arrest and subsequent release on bond, Nathan absconded from judicial supervision, prompting the Texas Department of Public Safety to place him on its featured fugitive list with a cash reward. State criminal databases list a extensive prior history across Georgia, Ohio, and Texas, including prior convictions for aggravated assault, battery, bail jumping, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Ongoing State Investigation and Administrative Review

At the request of the U.S. Marshals Service, special agents with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) have assumed control of the officer-involved shooting investigation. SBI forensic investigators and crime scene technicians sealed off the Ruby Drive property to process ballistic evidence, firearm documentation, and vehicle trajectories. Upon completion of the independent state review, investigative findings and ballistic reports will be submitted to the Marengo County District Attorney’s Office for formal judicial review.