Nathaniel Woods was born as Nathaniel Ali Woods on October 24, 1976, in the United States. He grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. 

On June 17, 2004, in Birmingham, Alabama, a tragic incident involving four police officers and Nathaniel Woods took place. The police were trying to serve an outstanding arrest warrant at a location known for drug activity. During their first visit, Woods had a heated argument with the officers. After this confrontation, the officers checked Woods’ name and learned he had an active arrest warrant. Later that day, the officers returned to the location, only to find Woods and Kerry Spencer inside.

When the officers arrived with the warrant, Woods refused to come out and threatened them. He then ran into the kitchen as the officers entered the apartment to apprehend him. At this moment, Spencer grabbed a rifle and shot at the officers. He killed three officers: Harley Chisholm III, Charles Bennett, and Carlos Owen. The fourth officer, Michael Collins, was injured but survived. After the shooting, Woods and Spencer fled the scene.

Both Woods and Spencer were charged with the murders, even though Woods never fired a weapon. Spencer claimed that Woods did not know he was going to shoot anyone. During the trial, the prosecution argued that Woods played a role in the incident and helped set the stage for the officers' deaths. Despite not directly killing anyone, Woods was convicted of capital murder and was sentenced to death.

Woods' case drew attention because there were questions about his involvement and whether he was guilty. Many people, including some family members of the police officers, expressed doubt about the fairness of his trial and the evidence used against him. On March 5, 2020, Nathaniel Woods was executed by lethal injection. He maintained his innocence until the end, and his execution sparked debates about justice and the death penalty in the United States.