F.L. “Bubba” Copeland, a preacher, politician, and mayor of Smiths Station, Alabama, took his own life Friday after being outed to have an alleged secret online identity known as a “transgender curvy girl” named Brittini Blaire Summerlin.
His alleged secret life as Brittini Blaire Summerlin came to light in an exposé by 1819 News, a site that published the report on his 62nd birthday, as reported by The New York Post. Copeland was a married father of three and served as the mayor of Smiths Station, a small town with a population of 6,756. He also worked as a pastor at First Baptist Church in nearby Phenix City.
His suicide occurred after authorities were asked to conduct a welfare check and began following his car. Copeland exited his vehicle, brought out a handgun, and took his own life in front of law enforcement officers, the outlet added.
Alabama preacher F.L. ‘Bubba’ Copeland kills himself after being outed as ‘transgender curvy girl’ https://t.co/nNTDplPbor pic.twitter.com/Dz6YR7nXX0
— New York Post (@nypost) November 4, 2023
The exposé in 1819 News included images from Copeland’s social media profiles, which showed him wearing women’s outfits and engaging with transgender content. After the exposé was published, Copeland delivered his regular sermon at First Baptist Church of Phenix City, briefly addressing the scandal. He characterized his online persona as a “hobby” that did not extend beyond his private life. In addition to being outed for living a double life, he was also exposed for writing fiction about killing a real-life business owner in order to steal her identity. (RELATED: ‘Emotional Blackmail’: Transgender Suicide Stats Are ‘Exaggerated’ And Can Increase Suicide Risk, Psychiatrists Say)
“‘She posted a new picture!’ Excited I screenshot it to add to my ever-growing collection. To say I was a stalker would be a bit of an understatement. Every post she made I studied it, analyzing and taking notes of her daily routine. What she ate, what she drank, from her favorite coffee to her favorite alcoholic drink. Her life had become my obsession,” the story reads.
The story proceeds to dive into the protagonist seducing the woman’s spouse after completely adapting a female persona. It culminates with the main character confronting the woman on a cruise ship, confiscating her wedding and engagement rings, and ultimately pushing her to her demise. “This life is everything I’ve ever yearned for, and now, it is finally within my grasp!”