MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Tuesday that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has affirmed a federal court’s denial of habeas corpus relief for Timothy Boyle, who was convicted of the capital murder of a child in Etowah County and sentenced to death in 2010.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the appellate court issued its decision on June 23, 2026, upholding a previous ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama that denied Boyle’s request for federal habeas relief.
Boyle was convicted in Etowah County Circuit Court of the capital murder of Savannah White, who was under the age of 14 at the time of her death, as well as unlawful possession of a controlled substance. A jury unanimously recommended the death penalty, and the trial court imposed the sentence on March 12, 2010.
Court records cited by the Attorney General’s Office detailed allegations of ongoing abuse suffered by Savannah while Boyle was dating her mother, Melissa White. Testimony presented during the trial described multiple incidents of physical abuse prior to the child’s death in October 2005.
Evidence presented at trial indicated that Savannah suffered severe injuries that ultimately resulted in her death shortly after her second birthday. Medical findings revealed extensive brain trauma, and multiple witnesses, including Savannah’s older sister, testified regarding the abuse.
Following his conviction, Boyle’s sentence was affirmed through direct appeals. His state post-conviction proceedings concluded without relief in 2018. In 2022, the Middle District of Alabama denied his federal habeas petition.
The Eleventh Circuit granted review on a single issue before ultimately affirming the lower court’s decision, leaving Boyle’s conviction and death sentence intact.
Marshall also commended Deputy Attorney General Lauren Simpson for her work representing the state during the federal proceedings.
