James Barney Hubbard was born on March 7, 1930. In the late 1950s, at the age of 27, he was convicted of second-degree murder for killing David Dockery in Tuscaloosa County. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison but served approximately 19 years, gaining parole in October 1976. During his time behind bars, Hubbard spent nearly two decades—working to reintegrate would later prove fatal. After his release, Hubbard moved into the home of 62-year-old Lillian Montgomery, a Tuscaloosa storeowner and widow who had sponsored his parole.

On January 10, 1977, Hubbard shot Montgomery three times—in her face, head, and shoulder—and stole her gold and diamond wristwatch and approximately $500 in cash and checks. He then called the police, claiming she had fatally shot herself during a drinking session. He was arrested at the scene after paramedics and investigators found inconsistencies in his story.

Evidence contradicted his claim of suicide: multiple gunshot wounds and robbery were clearly present. In October 1977, a jury found Hubbard guilty of first-degree capital murder, and he was sentenced to death by lethal injection.

Following the conviction, Hubbard pursued appeals citing his 74-year-old age, deteriorating health, and dementia. He also received a Supreme Court stay application, which failed in a 5‑4 decision. Alabama Governor Bob Riley denied clemency, calling the crime “heinous and violent.” The execution carried the support of the victim’s family, who attended the 2004 lethal injection.

Hubbard was executed on August 5, 2004, at Holman Correctional Facility. At 6:36 p.m. Central Time, he became the oldest inmate executed in the U.S. post‑1976, at the age of 74. His last meal included eggs, bacon, tomatoes, pineapple with mayo, fried green tomatoes, white bread, a banana, and a V8 juice. The execution was witnessed by his two adult children and six members of Montgomery’s family.