For Toya Cohill, the mother of 22-year-old Adam Dowdell, Monday’s sentencing marked the end of a long and emotional chapter but not the pain that came with losing her son.
) - More than five years after an Alabama State University student was killed, the man responsible has now been sentenced, bringing a sense of justice to the victim’s family, but not the closure they’ve been longing for. For Toya Cohill, the mother of 22-year-old Adam Dowdell , Monday’s sentencing marked the end of a long and emotional chapter but not the pain that came with losing her son.
Back in 2020, Dowdell’s disappearance sent shockwaves across Alabama State University’s campus. At the time, his mother made emotional pleas for help, searching for answers about her son’s whereabouts. What followed was a heartbreaking discovery.
Cohill says that betrayal is something she still struggles to process. “If that was so-called his friend, why would you shoot your friend from the back of the head?” she said. Dowdell was a junior at Alabama State University, working toward becoming a special education teacher.
“He was a sweetheart. Everybody loved him,” Cohill said. Family members say he was passionate about sports, often playing football and baseball, and known for his bright personality.
Now, those memories live on through photos, stories, and moments shared among loved ones. While the sentencing brought some relief, Cohill says it does not erase the trauma she’s endured since her son’s death.
She also described the emotional toll of the legal process, years of court delays, hearings, and uncertainty. Family members say they were forced to relive the tragedy over and over again as the case moved through the justice system. “It was a relief. No more running back and forth to court,” a family member said, describing the end of a long legal battle. Cohill was in the courtroom during sentencing, she says she remembers what happened, including the defendant’s behavior.
“He tried to play like he had tears, but not one tear crossed his face,” she said. Still, she is clear: justice does not equal closure.
Now, the family says their focus is on making sure the sentence holds. “I will be there, every single time,” she said.
As the family continues to process the loss, they say faith is what’s helping them move forward.
They’re also thanking the community for years of support, prayers, donations, and standing by them through the most difficult moments of their lives.
For this family, the memory of Adam Dowdell, and the life he was building, will never be forgotten. While a sentence has now been handed down, for one Montgomery family, this story is not about an ending, but learning how to live with a loss that never truly goes away.
WFSA WSFA 12 News Montgomery ASU Alabama State University ASU Student Murder 2020 Crime Targeting Crime Adam Dowdell
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