Police: elderly couple found dead in home, heating system on

McINTOSH, Ala. (WALA) - McIntosh police said an elderly couple was found dead in their home on Saturday after their air conditioner went out.

Police Chief Mike Ready said Jettie Tolbert, 87, and Freeman Lee Tolbert, 90 were found dead inside their home by their son on September 8.

Ready said the couple had central heating and air, but the air conditioning system went out sometime Friday afternoon. The couple contacted a repairman, who showed up around 8 a.m. Saturday but could not get a response at the door.

The couple’s son later found them both deceased. Jettie Tolbert was in the bedroom and Freeman Tolbert was in a chair.

“When first responders got there, they attempted to get the heat off but it just kept blowing. And they couldn't get it to stop. So they went outside and removed the breaker, turned the breaker off, and that's how they got the heat to quit pumping in there,” said Ready.

Paramedics said the thermostat showed the temperature in the house was more than 110 degrees.

 “After the officers got there and assessed the situation, they had to ventilate the house, open the windows up, put some fans on the outside to try to draw some air to try to cool the place. An hour and a half, two hours later, it was still just terribly hot,” said Ready.

Authorities said the Tolberts’s were a respected family in the community. They said Jettie Tolbert taught at Mcintosh Elementary, and her husband taught at Mcintosh High School and Leroy high school.

Jeff Johnson, one of Freeman Tolbert’s former students, said the lesson's he's learned from him have stayed with him as an adult.

 “We thought it was about American history and civics but we later learned, I’m sure many of my classmates would say the same thing, we later learned it was about preparation for life,” said Johnson.

Myrtle Brown lives a few doors down from the couple. She is mourning her dear friends. 

"I just can't explain it. It was really sad that for both of them to go together,” said Brown.

Dellie Sullivan expressed her loss as well.

“If everybody lived like Mr. and Mrs. Tolbert, this would be a wonderful world,” said Sullivan.

 No word on the couple's official cause of death.