Alabama Court Upholds Death Sentence For Police Officer Sean Tuder’s Killer

The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has officially affirmed the capital murder conviction and death sentence of Marco Perez, according to an announcement made by Attorney General Steve Marshall on Monday.

This ruling marks a significant milestone in a case that began over seven years ago with the shooting death of Mobile Police Officer Sean Tuder.

The legal journey reached this point after Perez was initially convicted in the Mobile County Circuit Court on March 18, 2024. During that trial, a jury voted 11–1 in favor of the death penalty, a recommendation the court followed.

Evidence presented during the proceedings painted a grim picture of the events leading up to the 2019 shooting.

On January 19, 2019, Officer Tuder responded to a tip that Perez was located at the Peach Place Apartments. At the time, Perez was actively evading authorities during a ten-day crime spree.

Investigators noted that Perez had staged his own kidnapping and committed several property crimes, including the theft of multiple vehicles and a Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber pistol.

When Officer Tuder arrived at the apartment complex to serve an arrest warrant, he encountered Perez. The two engaged in a physical struggle before Perez managed to break away.

Surveillance footage captured the moment Perez pulled the stolen handgun and fired three shots, killing the officer.

Officer Tuder had been a dedicated member of the Mobile Police Department since 2016, earning “Officer of the Month” honors in 2017. He was also a member of the Alabama National Guard.

Following the appellate court’s decision, Attorney General Marshall commended the work of Assistant Attorney General Paxton Weeks, who handled the state’s case during the appeal process. With this affirmation, the conviction and the ultimate sentence for the murder of an on-duty officer remain in place.

Source: Tampa Free Press, Maria Hernandez, May 5, 2026

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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