2005 Birmingham homicides

This is a List of Birmingham homicides in 2005. It includes homicide cases occuring within the city limits during the calendar year. Note that not all homicides are ultimately ruled to be murder in courts of law.

Birmingham had 104 homicides in 2005, compared to 64 in 2004, and a record of 141 in 1992. The 2005 homicide rate for the city of Birmingham, based on the 2005 census estimate of 231,483 population, was 45.4 homicides per 100,000 population per year.

Of the 105 recorded homicides, suspects were reported identified in __ cases, and apprehended in 64. During the first six months of 2005 there were 38 homicides reported, compared with 24 for the same period in 2004. Of those, 4 were reported in the South Precinct, 9 in the North Precinct, 4 in the East Precinct, and 21 in the West Precinct.

According to FBI statistics released in September 2006, Birmingham's rate of violent crime increased by 5.8 percent over 2004, significantly outpacing the national rise in urban violent crime rates, which was 2.3 percent. Birmingham ranked 20th among cities of over 75,000 with 1470 crimes per 100,000 population. For homicide, Birmingham ranked third, just behind Compton, California and Gary, Indiana with 44.3 murders for every 100,000 people. The FBI report included 3,449 violent crimes, among which were 104 homicides (not the total of 105). The report used a population of 234,571, rather than the 2005 census estimate of 231,483.

As of September 10, 2009 Birmingham Police detectives have cleared 68 of the 105 recorded homicides from 2005 (64.8%).

Listing by date

1.

2. January 4. Orin Broaden, 26, found dead of gunshot wound in a gambling house at 4137 Fairmont Way in Fairmont. Mario Brown was charged with capital murder during a robbery. The jury in his trial was unable to reach a verdict, resulting in a mistrial. Another trial is set to begin in September 2007. [1].

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7. January 14: James L. Ward, 39, found shot and stripped by letter carrier on 5600 block of Lincoln Avenue. Rodrigus Bradley (the shooter) and Cherritha Harris pleaded guilty to felony murder in 2007 and were each sentenced to 25 years. John Evans (who planned the robbery) was convicted of felony murder in an October 2007 trial. [2]

8. January 16. Justin Campbell, 20, shot during robbery of Radio Shack at 1141 Huffman Road in Roebuck. Brandon Washington was sentenced to death in a 2006 trial, but the Alabama Supreme Court has ordered a resentencing.

9.

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__. February 14: David Alcantara, 30, found dead of gunshot wound in home at 5417 5th Avenue South in Woodlawn.

13. February 17: Sammie Speigner III, shot and killed by Raymond Carlisle, 19 during an attempted rape at 10th Street North near I-65. Carlisle was convicted and sentenced to 21 years in prison. (report)

14. February 24: Vincent Webster, 27, found dead of gunshot wound in car on 3300 block of Laurel Avenue.

15. February 27: Kyle Kuykendall, 32, found unconcscious from head injury near ATM on 2800 block of 7th Avenue South in Southside, on February 26. Died in hospital.

__. March 12: Sherika Miller, 20, was found shot to death on the porch of a home on the 700 block of Buffalo Street in Wylam. Her death was the apparent result of a domestic argument. Tokeisha V. Burch was arrested and charged with murder. She pleaded guilty in Judge Bill Cole's court to a reduced charge of reckless manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. (report)

__. April 17: Morris Nixon, 23, found dead from gunshot wound on 3000 block of 32nd Street North in Norwood.

__. April 20: Louis Calvin Cook, 23, found dead from gunshot wound in car on 1500 block of Bush Boulevard.

__. May 7: Dejuan Hall was found shot to death outside a wrecked car near 3rd Avenue West and 11th Street West. No arrest. (report)

__. May 8: Tarakisha Hodo, shot four times with a shotgun by her husband, Augustus Larry Lundy, Jr, 35, after argument about an affair. Lundy pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to life in prison. (report)

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__. May 23: Ludie Andre Thomas, 30, was killed. Carlos Mabry pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2006 and was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released some time after July 2010. In December 2011 he was charged with the murder of Derrick Peoples and returned to serve the remainder of his original sentence for the violation of his parole. (report)

34. May 28: Tony Morris, 32, was stabbed and left to die at 1147 Bankhead Highway on May 5. He succumbed to his injuries at UAB Hospital three weeks later.

__. June 14. Frances Craig, 35, shot in home at 1232 Bush Circle.

June 24: Robert Weaver, 70, owner of the 19th Street Laundromat was shot in the chest during a robbery and died two months later. Charles Antonio Henton was identified as a suspect when a witness came forward in 2007. He was charged with capital murder but convicted of the lesser charge of felony murder. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison. [3]

__. June 28: Franchesta Morrow, 15, killed by a shot meant for her brother at her apartment at 1228 Tuscaloosa Avenue Southwest. Brothers Larry, Serdelreus and DeAndrew Dowdell were charged. Serdelreus was found not guilty. Larry was convicted in a retrial and sentenced to life. DeAndrew's charges were dismissed. [4]

__. July 7: Alexis Terry, 26, died of gunshot wound after shooting at Liberty Gas Sation at 900 20th Street Ensley.

__. July 7: Willie Tate, Jr, 25, died of gunshot wound after shooting at Liberty Gas Sation at 900 20th Street Ensley.

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43. July 17: Tanelsa Ford, 35, found in woods in 1600 block of 9th Avenue North.

44.

45. July 28: George Lewis, Jr, shot during robbery of his King George's Old School Lounge on 3rd Avenue West. Steven Benard Phillips was charged with capital murder, attempted murder and first degree robbery in April 2007. [5]

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49. August 6: Michael Goodrich, 26, was found shot to death along with a woman in a burned truck on the 700 block of Antwerp Avenue. After bragging about the shooting to a friend of the victim, Richard Johnston was arrested and charged with capital murder in September 2009.

50. August 6: Amanda Whitten, 17 was found with Goodrich.

51. August 7: Kerry Abston, 38, found stabbed to death in the street near his home on the 700 block of Forest Road. Omar Randolph pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years.

52. August 7: Terry Cortrell, 35 of Hueytown killed in a gunfight at a nightclub at 306 5th Street North that left two others injured. Micheal Lamar Grayson, 39 and Fernandrez Cortez Jordan, 34, were charged with murder and attempted murder. Grayson was arrested in Ensley by the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force in February 2007.

53. August 12: Clyde Bynum, 74, shot during robbery while working at Power Spray Car Wash in East Lake. Shauntell Williams, 23, pleaded guilty to felony murder and accomplice Eddie Lovejoy, 22, was convicted of felony murder, both in October 2006. Both are serving life sentences with the possibility of parole. [6]

54. August 16: Man shot by his 70-year-old brother-in-law on 2200 block of 33rd Avenue North.

55. August 14: Matthew Lowe, 20, found on 1400 block of Simmons Street. Harley Oxendine Riddle was charged with capital murder. He pleaded guilty to felony murder in a deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 20 years with a minimum of 5 years served. [7]

56. August 16: Man stabbed in argument with neighbor at 120 16th Avenue North.

57. August 17: Man shot in 6600 block of Court M near Brighton Road.

58. August 17: Arthur Jemison, 44, shot when robbed of truck in 1200 block of 67th Street in the Green Acres neighborhood.

59. August 17: Damion Smith, 25, shot in car on Avenue W in Pratt City.

60. August 18: Joel Payten, 19, shot multiple times during fight on 5900 block of 1st Avenue South in Woodlawn.

61: August 19: Zainab Badmus-Agoro, 26, shot in the back by Tangy James, 25 during a fight with another woman outside a restaurant on Arkadelphia Road at 6th Avenue West. In Court, James' lawyers argued that the shot was intended as a warning, and that the victim had recently bilked James of $200 in a confidence game. James was convicted of murder on March 9, 2007 [8]

62: August 24: Leon Springfield, 36, shot to death at 2524 29th Street Ensley. Antonio Mallory, 31, and Eric Hosey, 27, named as suspects. [9]

63: August 24: Robert Weaver, 70, owner of the 19th Street Laundromat, shot during robbery of his store on June 24, died of wounds on August 24.

64. August 27: Derrick Jackson, 17, was shot at the McAlpine Recreation Center at 1115 Avenue F Ensley. Stanley Brent Chatman was arrested and charged with murder. A jury found him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter and Judge Clyde Jones sentenced him to 15 years in prison With credit for time served, Chatman was released in November 2012. He was arrested and charged in the murder of Derrick King the following March.(report)

65. August 27: Lakeisha Henderson, 33, found shot at 1021 Cahaba Street. Detra Catlin, 20, in custody. [10]

66. August 29: Steven Huff, 41, shot at Pit Stop at 2016 21st Street Ensley.

67. September 2: Devon Stephenson, 27, stabbed by sister Kandice Stephenson, 30, during altercation. [11]

68. September 4: Milton Craig, 45, shot in chest at 1337 17th Way Southwest. [12]

69. September 5: Morrell Kemp, 28, shot in chest on 100 block of 5th Avenue Southwest. Damone Tinsley was arrested in July 2008 by U. S. Marshals and charged with murder. [13]

70.

71. September 15: Christopher Hamby, 26, found dead at 11th Avenue West and 7th Street West. [14]

72. September 15: Eric Simmons, 44, stabbed near 800 block of 15th Street North. Joseph Jackson, 49, arrested and released on $50,000 bond. [15]

73. September 18: Unidentified male found shot on 2100 block of 16th Street North. [16]

74. September 18: Alonzo Gaines, 26, found shot at Ramirez's Restaurant at 6425 Kimberly Avenue. Roderick McKinney, 34, arrested and released on $300,000 bond. [17]

75. September 24: Jeffrey Reynolds, 18, shot in chest at 9248 Parkway East after being thrown out of a party. Christopher Ball, 31, was charged based on a witness' photo identification, but was acquitted when the witness withdrew his testimony. [18]

76.

77. October 4: Ron Williams, 41, found shot at 36 South Park Road. [19]

78. October 5: Shannon Vanburen, 23, found shot on 1200 block of South Gale Drive. Keoni Gaddy, 21, named as suspect. [20]

79. October 11: Rodney Bennifield, 20, shot in car on 4700 block of Avenue R Ensley. Second victim then drove to 2207 Bessemer Road with decedent in car. [21]

80. October 10: James Johnson, 47, killed by blunt trauma at Finley Boulevard at 18th Street North. [22]

81. October 11: Brian Chatman, 22, shot along with three others at 532 15th Place Southwest. [23]

82.

83.

84. November 2: Alethea Brewster, 24, shot at JoJo's Gun and Pawn at 4612 5th Avenue South in Avonwood. A 29-year-old female was identified as a suspect, but the shooting may have been accidental. [24]

85. October 26: Vickie Abercrombie, 49, shot at her residence at 5908 1st Avenue South in Woodlawn. She died in the hospital on November 4. Bryant Thomas, 31, was arrested and charged. [25]

86. November 5: Paul Maurice Anthony, 42, shot in the chest at his apartment at 7612 2nd Avenue North in East Lake after a dispute at a party involving drugs and prostitution. Arner Dinwidieie, 53, was convicted of murder on January 16, 2007 and sentenced to 22 years. [26]

87. November 11: Unidentified male shot in 800 block of 16th Street Ensley and found at 1521 Avenue H. Arner Dinwiddie, 52, in custody. [27]

88. November 17: Julius Vance, 43, shot in car at 3940 George Avenue. [28]

89. November 17: Anthony Clinton, 46, shot in car at 3940 George Avenue. [29]

90.

91. November 24: Quintin Gains, 37, found at 3617 Mineral Avenue. [30]

92. November 24: Kim Olney, 28, desk clerk shot during robbery of Airport Inn at 5101 Messer Airport Highway. Brandon Deon Mitchell and Roderick Byrd were convicted on multiple counts of capital murder and sentenced to death. Another accomplice was also charged. [31]

93. November 24: John Aylesworth, 42 (a truck driver from Texas) shot during robbery of Airport Inn at 5101 Messer Airport Highway. Brandon Deon Mitchell and Roderick Byrd were convicted on multiple counts of capital murder and sentenced to death. Another accomplice was also charged. [32]

94. November 24: Dorothy Smith, 58 (from Queens) shot during robbery of Airport Inn at 5101 Messer Airport Highway. Brandon Deon Mitchell and Roderick Byrd were convicted on multiple counts of capital murder and sentenced to death. Another accomplice was also charged. [33]

95. November 27: Corey Brazzle, 32, was found shot in a vacant home at 7016 1st Avenue South that was burned in an arson. Ballistic evidence tied the gun used to the one used in the murders of Olney and Smith a few days before. Brandon Deon Mitchell pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life without parole. He claimed to have been tricked by prosecutors and his own attorneys and may file to withdraw his plea. [34]

96. November 30: Bryan Lewis, 27, found shot in 1000 block of Tuscaloosa Alley. Donderrious Williams has been charged with "intentionally killing a person inside a vehicle" in an attempt to avenge the non-fatal shooting of his brother in a carjacking. An accomplice, Anthony Thompson, has also been charged. [35]

97. November 30: Terry Landers, 51, killed by blow during robbery at 805 37th Place North. $5,000 reward offered by state for information leading to conviction. [36]

98. December 1: Michael Turner, 21, found dead by gunshot at 1508 13th Avenue North. [37]

99. December 7: Nathan Campbell, 17, was shot to death during argument at gas station on 900 block of 20th Street Ensley. Brothers Vanderick and Chaddrick Thomas had threatened a friend of Campbell's at the store before the shooting. They both pleaded to the lesser charge of reckless manslaughter. Vanderick, the shooter, was sentenced to three years. Chaddrick was sentenced to 28 months, and both were given credit for time served. Vanderick Thomas was shot to death in an apparent gambling dispute in May 2015. (report)

100. December 23: Darron Cox, 37, stabbed in a knife fight at 3920 28th Street North. Samuel Forte has been convicted of reckless manslaughter in the killing. [38]

101. December 24: Jesus Galicia Toral, 26, shot at apartment F at 304 2nd Terrace North. Terrance Watters, 19 and Ronald Jack Mayhand, 17, named as suspects. [39]

102.

103. December 26: Decomposed body of woman found by work crew near Lyons Lane and Frankfurt Drive in the Oxmoor area. [40]

104. December 28: Michael Finnerson, 23, shot on 2800 block of Wallace Covington Circle in the Kimbrough Homes project. Orlando Lewis, then 25, was charged with capital murder, but the charges were dropped on the day of his trial because witnesses recanted their identification and the murder weapon had been found at a different residence. [41]

105. December 31: Willie Callahan, 47, found shot on 1200 block of 10th Avenue North. [42].

Responses

During the particularly bloody month of August, City Councilor Bert Miller called for "8 days without violence". The city's 62nd murder was reported less than twelve hours after Miller's plea. Police Chief Annetta Nunn urged citizens to avoid drug environments and to practice conflict resolution in domestic disputes, two of the leading correlates in homicide cases.

In October, the North Alabama U. S. Attorney's office announced the "Don't Lie for the Other Guy" program, aimed at informing the public that purchasing a gun for someone who cannot legally do so is a federal crime carrying a 10-year-prison sentance. Broadcast PSA's and truck-mounted billboards carried the message throughout North Alabama.

In the Mayor's January 9, 2006 State of the City address to the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, Bernard Kincaid stated that "Regardless of the events and circumstances which underlie it, our current homicide rate in Birmingham is unacceptable to this mayor. [...] I pledge to you and to all of our citizens that we will attack this problem from every responsible angle to reduce the number of homicides that occur in our city." (Bryant - January 10)

On January 14, 2006, largely as a response to the high number of homicides in 2005, and continuing through New Years', the City of Birmingham unveiled a "Ceasefire Initiative", planned to promote members of the community to get involved in reducing violent crime. Anti-Crime summits were planned in each Council District and materials featuring the Ceasefire logo are being distributed to promote awareness.

References

• Robinson, Carol (August 9, 2005) "Birmingham murder rate up 60% so far in '05". Birmingham News.
• Bryant, Joseph D. (January 10, 2006) "Birmingham's Kincaid lifts Taser ban." Birmingham News.
• Robinson, Carol (September 19, 2006) "City's violent crimes up 5.8%." Birmingham News.
• Robinson, Carol (January 2, 2007) "40 killings from '06 remain unsolved." Birmingham News.