2008 Birmingham homicides

This is a List of Birmingham homicides in 2008. It includes homicide cases occuring within the city limits during the calendar year. Note that a "homicide" refers to the cause of death as determined by a medical examiner, not to the commission of the crime of murder as charged by police and prosecutors.

With 58 homicides up to August 30, the city is on pace for 87 in 2008. Based on the 2007 census estimate of 229,800 population, that represents 37.9 homicides per 100,000 population for the year. Birmingham had 93 homicides in 2007 (of which 86 were reported to the FBI as murder or non-negligent manslaughter), 109 in 2006 (104 reported as murder), and a record of 141 in 1992.

Birmingham is averaging 7.2 homicides per month, or one every 4.2 days. There were 11 incidents in January, 1 in February, 9 in March, 7 in April, 2 in May, 6 in June, 13 in July and 6 so far in August. The longest stretch without a homicide was 28 days between January 24 and February 21. At this time in 2007 there had been 53 homicides (and 77 to this date in 2006).

Of the 58 reported homicides, suspects have been identified in at least 37 cases, apprehended in 35, and charged in 24.

At least 45 of the 58 reported homicides were shootings, two were stabbings, two beating deaths and two the result of attempts by police to subdue fleeing suspects. 4 cases appeared to be domestic disputes, 14 resulted from arguments, 8 appeared to be home invasions or robberies, one a case of mistaken identity, one a struggle following a suspected theft, 2 police attempts to subdue suspects, and 2 have been justified as self-defense. The remaining cases had no reported motive. 36 deadly incidents occurred on the street, 16 at private homes, 2 at motels and 1 in a convenience store. At least 44 of the victims were male and 7 were female.

One death counted toward this year's total occurred in December 2007, but was ruled a homicide by the coroner's office in 2008. Note that the Birmingham Police Department does not count homicides toward the total if they have been ruled justifiable. The Birmingham News keeps those in their running total.

Listing by date

1. January 2: Winifred Jathea Bryant, 25, was forced into a car at gunpoint outside an apartment complex on the 200 block of 52nd Street North in Woodlawn (map). She was shot in the head when she tried to esacape Her car was in the street with the engine running and her 7-year-old son inside. Arthur Lee Kirksey, the boy's father, was charged with capital murder, and arrested while in hiding at his mothers house three days later. [1]
2. January 3: Grace A. Garner, 85, found bludgeoned to death in her home at 7735 1st Avenue South in East Lake (map). The front door was forced open and the home ransacked. A $10,000 award has been offered by Barber's Dairy for information leading to an arrest. [2]
3. January 3: Dameon T. "Tiger" Harris, 28, found shot on the 1300 block of 29th Street North (map). Another gunshot victim was admitted to Physicians Medical Center Carraway and may have been involved in the shooting. A woman was taken into custody, but has not been charged. [3]
4. January 4: Evangelist Caffery D. Woods, 49, shot in her SUV parked behind a duplex on the 7400 block of 2nd Avenue South (map). Her mother, Mattie Mae Woods, 88, was shot several times as well, but survived. No arrests. A $5,000 reward for information was announced by Governor Riley in July 2008. [4]
5. January 9: Lonzel Davis, 57, shot in his kitchen at 537 Antwerp Avenue in Gate City (map). Housemate Knikita Aydelotte, who claimed to have found the body, was charged with capital murder after police found evidence in her car. [5]
6. January 10: Charles Benson, 38, found shot on a sofa in a garage behind a house at 817 5th Way in Pratt City (map), apparently in a dispute over a $2,500 debt. Michael Willis was charged with intentional murder. [6]
7. January 12: Fredric "Micky" Rogers, 31, found inside a burning Cadillac at the intersection of Jersey Street and 15th Avenue in Wylam (map). The Jefferson County coroner determined that Rogers died by gunshot.
8. January 13: Anthony Lett, 36, of Huntsville was fatally shot during a dispute which followed Lonnie King's death during an illegal drag race on Republic Boulevard near Avenue W in the Pratt community (map). Lett was one of the race organizers and was holding $20,000 in purse money when he was shot. Ladipo Bethea, of Gretna, Florida has been charged with capital murder and was captured on March 27 in Palm Beach, Florida. [7]
9. January 23: Herman Pride, 66, found dead inside his house at 1325 17th Way Southwest near Davis Court (map). The victims 1998 green Ford Windstar van was missing. No arrest. [8]
10. January 23: Aurelius N. Harris, 24, found shot on the 7700 block of 7th Avenue South (map). Courtney Austin, with whom the victim had a dispute, was arrested and charged with capital murder on January 28. [9]
11. January 24: Darryl Shelton, 47, was stabbed in his home at 1008 15th Way Southwest (map). Myron Young was taken into custody at the scene and later charged with murder. [10]
12. January 31: Larry Armstead, 40, died on December 15, 2007 after struggling with a security guard who chased him from St Vincent's Medical Center to the alley behind the 2500 block of 9th Court South the previous afternoon (map). Although Armstead had a pre-existing heart condition and evidence of cocaine in his blood, the Jefferson County Coroner's Office ruled on January 31, 2008 that the death was a homicide. The Jefferson County District Attorney decided not to file charges, ruling the death justified. [11]
13. February 21: Martez Mandrell Bimbow, 20, died six hours after being shot in the chest during a gunfight that erupted from an attempted robbery. The incident occurred on the evening of February 20 at the Knights Inn motel ate 1313 3rd Avenue North (map). Another man was shot in the leg. One man was taken into custody. [12]
14. March 1: Carmeise Bogus, 27, died from gunshot wounds at UAB Hospital. He and his brother were trying to break up a party on the 1500 block of Bessemer Road when he was shot. (map). A juvenile has been arrested, but not yet charged. [13]
15. March 2: Curtis Pinkney, 48, found shot on the 1300 block of Carraway Boulevard (map). No arrest. [14]
16. March 3: Gilbert Phillips, 20, was shot in the head while driving on the 3000 block of Pearson Avenue (map). He crashed into a utility pole on the 3300 block and was taken to Baptist Medical Center-Princeton where he died. A passenger suffered a head injury. Courtney Scott and Kirby Reddick were arrested and charged with capital murder in April. According to police testimony, Reddick, the shooter, was responding to a "mean look" from Phillips. [15]
17. March 15: Michelle Scott, 33, found dead at her home at 429 4th Court West. No arrest. [16]
18. March 16: Gabriel Myers, 17, shot during an altercation at a house at 1528 Pearson Avenue Southwest (map). Dandre Hamner was arrested and charged with murder. [17]
19. March 19: Jeffrey Lynn Clark, 46, found dead at his home at 4782 7th Court South (map). No arrest. [18]
20. March 22: Craig Broadnax, 51, found shot in an SUV in the parking lot of the Avondale Church of Christ at 4252 2nd Avenue South (map). No arrest.
21. March 24: Travis Thompson, 41, found dead outside a house at 2312 Avenue G Ensley after a shootout in which his 16 year old son was injured. (map). Nicholas Anton Bryant was arrested by U. S. Marshals in Atlanta on April 11 and charged with murder. [19]
22. March 30: Kebbie Burke, 33, found dead in a burned house on the 1900 block of 15th Court North in Druid Hills (map). The victim was identified in June 2008. A suspect is in custody on other charges. [20]
23. April 6: Andrew Sanders, 23, shot and killed near the intersection of 24th Street South and 9th Avenue South in the Southtown Housing Community (map). No arrest. [21]
24. April 6: Juan Carter, 24, shot on the sidewalk on the 200 block of Oporto-Madrid Boulevard North (map). No arrest. [22]
25. April 12: Brandon Ashley Donkor, 17, a sophomore at Parker High School, was shot multiple times in a vehicle which then crashed into a pool house at Dorothy Spears Park on Bankhead Highway West (map). No arrest. [23]
26. April 19: John Wilson, 55, found shot in a driveway in the 4900 block of 7th Avenue in Wylam (map). His brother, Leroy Wilson, was arrested and charged with murder. [24]
27. April 20: Carlos Files, 34, found stabbed to death near a sidewalk in the 2200 block of 33rd Avenue North (map). Patrick Ormond, with whom he had fought, was taken into custody, but released after police judged him to have acted in self-defense. [25]
28. April 22: Roderick Monday, 49, found shot on the 3600 block of 42nd Avenue North in Harriman Park (map). Monday's brother believes that he was shot by an acquaintance in an argument over a woman. No arrest. [26]
29. April 28: Quinton Washington, 23, found dead on a third-floor walkway at the Days Inn at 905 11th Court West (map). A male friend of Washington's was also wounded in the shootout. Mark Edward Smith, Jr was arrested by federal marshals in Trussville and charged with murder and attempted murder. Smith's attorney says that he was acting in self-defense. [27]
30. May 12: Michael Kissi, 29, died at UAB Hospital after being found shot at a convenience store at 4930 Richard Arrrington, Jr Boulevard North. He is believed to have been shot in the 4600 block of 14th Avenue North (map). No arrest. [28]
31. May 15: Carlyle Emmanuel Hall, 32, found shot on the 1600 block of 7th Avenue North (map). Che Swindle has been arrested and charged with capital murder. [29]
32. June 5: Willie Maye, 43, died after a car chase and struggle with Birmingham police officers conducting traffic stops near Hibernian Street and Miles Avenue. He was handcuffed and hit by a stun gun before he was taken to Cooper Green Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. A large amount of marijuana was found in Maye's trunk. The Jefferson County Coronor ruled that Maye's death was a homicide on July 18. The district attorney decided to accept the act as justifiable. [30]
33. June 9: Melvin Roshard Jackson, 25, found shot outside the garage of a house at 1700 4th Court West (map). His car was found at a motel a few blocks away. No arrest. [31]
34. June 13: Terry J. Coker, 17, shot near 1st Avenue North and 3rd Street (map). Another man injured by gunfire at the scene claims Coker was trying to rob him. Investigators deemed the homicide to have been justified. [32]
35. June 14: Ledarius Stokes, 23, shot on the 2000 block of Snavely Avenue in Powderly (map). Tyrone Daniels was taken into custody and charged with murder. [33]
36. June 26: Dexter Jenkins, 34, shot on the 300 block of Garfield Lane Southwest in the Loveman Village housing project (map). Police believe he was targeted. No arrest. [34].
37. June 27: Berlie Moore, 26, found shot in his car outside a house at 1601 32nd Street in Ensley (map). Investigators believe he was targeted because he broke up two fights between a married couple at a nightclub and was shot by the husband from another car just after driving the wife and her friend home. Jeffrey Heard, 42, has been arrested and charged with capital murder. [35]
38. June 29: Antonio Vidal, 26, found shot on the ground near his car on the 1100 block of 3rd Avenue West (map). No arrest. [36]
39. July 3: Denice Dixon, 28, found shot inside her home on the 2600 block of 29th Street in Ensley (map). A 32-year-old male who later committed suicide in Hoover is suspected of shooting her.[37]
40. July 3: Derrick Pelt, 33, found shot on the 1100 block of 2nd Street West in Smithfield (map). No arrest. [38]
41. July 5: Willie Daniels, 20, killed during a 4:00 AM gunfight outside Banana Joe's at 1016 20th Street South in Five Points South (map). Pierre Smith, 16, was taken to Cooper Green Mercy Hospital and later booked for capital murder and attempted murder. [39]
42. July 5: Jason Showers, 20, killed during a 4:00 AM gunfight outside Banana Joe's at 1016 20th Street South in Five Points South (map). Pierre Smith, 16, was taken to Cooper Green Mercy Hospital and later booked for capital murder and attempted murder. [40]
43. July 5: Isaiah Ford, 18, shot while at the wheel of his car on the 2300 block of South Park Terrace in the South Park Apartments near Five Points West (map). Two others were in Ford's car at the time of the shooting. Ricky Ward was arrested in August and charged with capital murder and attempted murder. [41]
44. July 6: Quintez Wilson, 33, found dead, along with a large quantity of drugs, in a vehicle at 4000 block of 38th Avenue North in Inglenook (map). Reuben Tolbert has been arrested and charged with capital murder. [42]
45. July 6: Antonio Smitherman, 42, found dead in a yard at 4124 block of 38th Avenue North in Inglenook (map). Reuben Tolbert has been arrested and charged with capital murder. [43]
46. July 8: Jermaine Watford, 34 (the brother of Tiger Harris, killed on January 3) was shot in an apartment at 2957 of Gallant Drive (map). According to police he was fleeing an off-duty officer when he ran into an occupied apartment and was shot and killed by the resident. Several witnesses and a possible suspect were placed in custody. A bag of marijuana was recovered from Watford's car. [44]
47. July 24: Derrick Witherspoon, 37, found dead with his wife and two children inside a burning house at 4232 Howard Avenue Southwest in Grasselli Heights (map). Shaunasty Lowe and Steven Williams have been arrested and charged with capital murder. [45]
48. July 24: Elizabeth McFarland Witherspoon, 34, found dead with her husband and two children inside a burning house at 4232 Howard Avenue Southwest in Grasselli Heights (map). Shaunasty Lowe and Steven Williams have been arrested and charged with capital murder. [46]
49. July 24: Jerome McFarland, 13, found dead with a sibling and both parents inside a burning house at 4232 Howard Avenue Southwest in Grasselli Heights (map). Shaunasty Lowe and Steven Williams have been arrested and charged with capital murder. [47]
50. July 24: Justin McFarland, 11, found dead with a sibling and both parents inside a burning house at 4232 Howard Avenue Southwest in Grasselli Heights (map). Shaunasty Lowe and Steven Williams have been arrested and charged with capital murder. [48]
51. July 25: James Valentine, 55, found dead at a gas station on the 1500 block of Finley Boulevard. Robert Johnson has been arrested and charged with murder. [49]
52. August 1: Martez Collins, 42, shot while at the wheel of his Chevrolet Suburban on the 4300 block of Messer Airport Highway (map). The SUV crashed into a tree in the median. A female passenger was also injured. No arrest.
53. August 5: Kerry Whitmore, 20, shot in the parking lot of the Springville Landing Apartments along Huffman and Springville Roads (map). Whitmore's brother, Kevin McMillian, was taken into custody at the scene and later charged after investigators concluded the shot was not accidental. [50]
54. August 10: Romana "Bull" Keahey, 38, found dead in a driveway on the 8200 block of 6th Avenue North after ShotSpotter detected multiple gunshots at that location (map). No arrest. [51]
55. August 11: LaWanda Russell, 17, found dead from gunshots on the 700 block of 17th Place Southwest between Steiner and Pearson Avenues (map). She was in a car with a group of friends who were shot at by a passing vehicle in an ongoing dispute. As her friends returned fire she jumped out of the car, but was shot while fleeing. Police in the area heard the shots and chased down a suspicious vehicle. One of its occupants was injured and was taken to UAB Hospital. The other two were taken into custody along with a rifle and a handgun. None of three will be charged in the death. Two others involved in the fight remain at large. [52], [53]
56. August 12: Jermaine Wesley, 24, found injured from gunshots on the 7600 block of 5th Avenue South near London Avenue in East Lake (map). Police responded to gunfire detected by the ShotSpotter system and transported the victim to UAB Hospital where he died from his wounds. [54]
57. August 14: Mohammed "Mo" Hadi, 22, was found shot to death inside the BP convenience store where he worked as a clerk at 1101 3rd Avenue North downtown (map). Security cameras showed an armed man enter the store at about 9:30 AM and immediately fire at Hadi. Robbery does not appear to have been the motive. He was found dead by a customer at 10:30 AM. Moore Oil Company is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction. [55]
58. August 27: Kemarrious Moore, 2, died at Children's Hospital 10 days after being brought in with severe bodily injuries. Jamel Hubbard, the boys father, had already been arrested and charged with attempted murder. New charges stemming from the death have not yet been filed. [56]

Responses

Members of the National Stop the Violence Coalition and Alabama Youth Against Violence staged a rally at Five Points West on January 12, prompted by the rising murder rate. (Bryant - Jan. 12)

Starting with a February 8 rally, Mayor Larry Langford and co-director of the Mayor's Office of Citizen's Assistance Frank Matthews launched a campaign, Plan 10/30, to involve African American men as leaders in turning their communities away from violence. Only black men were invited to the first meeting at Fair Park Arena, which focused on personal responsibility. Later rallies were held for black women on February 29 and for families on April 4. A fourth rally, on April 25 was proclaimed as "It's Time to Pray", with comparisons to the story of Nineveh in the biblical Book of Jonah. Mayor Langford ordered 2,000 burlap sacks to be worn by attendees as an expression of humility and mourning.

Congressman Artur Davis hosted a "Save Our Streets" forum on combating violent crime on March 3 at Birmingham City Hall. Representatives from the Cincinnati Police Department, the New York City's mayor's office, non-profit Third Way and other groups shared their experiences with programs which have been successful in other cities. (Norris - Mar. 4)

The Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce sponsored a series of public presentations entitled "No Time for Crime". The talks, given by Birmingham Police Chief A. C. Roper, Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale and Colonel Chris Murphy of the Alabama Department of Public Safety, are aimed at fostering public-private partnerships for crime reduction. (Robinson - May 6)

On July 8, following an especially violent Independence Day weekend, the Mothers Who Want the Violence to Stop help a prayer vigil at 5808 1st Avenue South. (Coman - July 8). Shortly thereafter, at the City Council meeting and again at a news conference called by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Mayor Langford outlined plans to increase fines against parents for curfew violations. (Stock - July 9). He also proposed a new state law allowing the city to seize cars in which the owner or passengers are found to be carrying a firearm illegally.

References

• Breaking News from the Birmingham News
• Bryant, Walter and Dawn Kent (January 12, 2008) "Update: Victim in burned car is city's 7th homicide." Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (February 4, 2008) "Langford plan has sights set on crime." Birmingham News
• Robinson, Carol (May 6, 2008) "Metro crime reduction series hosts speakers." Birmingham News
• Coman, Victoria L. and Jeremy Gray (July 8, 2008) "Anti-violence group plans prayer vigil for victims of weekend violence." Birmingham News
• Stock, Erin and John Folasade (July 9, 2008) "In wake of Southside slayings, Birmingham officials press for curfew crackdown, stiffer penaltie." Birmingham News

External links

• Birmingham Homicides 2008. Google Map by the Birmingham News Toraine Norris

See also

• List of homicides in 2008
• Birmingham homicides by year
• Crime in Birmingham