List of homicides in 2001

This is a List of homicides in 2001 including the entire Birmingham area during 2001. 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 prosecutors.

This list is incomplete and may never satisfy any subjective standard for completeness. You can help Bhamwiki by expanding it.

Etowah County

1. September 9: Jose Abaristo Garcia was shot to death in front of the old Dixon Trailer Park on Country Club Road in Attalla. Antonio Franco was indicted in 2002, but was not captured at the time. He was subsequently arrested in Missouri and Arkansas, but used false identification. He was captured by U. S. Marshals in Dallas, Texas in February 2011. (report)

Jefferson County

Bessemer

• February 18: Janet Jones Luxford, 40, of Jacksonville, Florida, was killed at a motel on 9th Avenue Southwest Bessemer and her body dumped off the Harmer Street bridge over Valley Creek in Brighton. Her mother filed a formal missing persons report with the Napa, California Police Department in September 2002. Brian Edward Jones, a former trucker who claimed to have been in a relationship with Luxford, confessed to Bessemer Police in March 2022. He explained that he didn't want his parents to know about his crime, but after they died in 2021 he wanted to ease his conscience and allow Luxford a proper burial. Jones was charged with murder and abuse of a corpse. He pleaded not guilty, claiming that her death was accidental. (report)

Birmingham

• See (list)

Fairfield

• January 5: Herman "Chip" Palmore Jr.,19, was found shot to death in an alley.
• September 22: Patricia Ward Mason, 31, killed along with five others in an apartment fire at 3232 66th Street (map). The fire was deliberately set by Johnny Gibson, an ex-boyfriend. Gibson pleaded guilty to felony murder and is serving six life sentences. Zeta Labbous Sheppard of Jonesboro, Georgia was also charged with capital murder. He pleaded instead to making false statements and prosecutors determined there was insufficient evidence to pursue higher charges. [1]
• September 22: James Elmore, 29, another of the six killed in an apartment fire at 3232 66th Street.
• September 22: Robert L. Mason V, 14, another of the six killed in an apartment fire at 3232 66th Street.
• September 22: Shamika Barrett, 9, another of the six killed in an apartment fire at 3232 66th Street.
• September 22: James Elmore III, 6, another of the six killed in an apartment fire at 3232 66th Street.
• September 22: Carlos Tate, 2, another of the six killed in an apartment fire at 3232 66th Street.

Hueytown

• October 19: Betty Kirkpatrick, 66, was smothered and nearly decapitated with a kitchen knife during a robbery in her manufactured home. Michael Lee Brown was convicted and sentenced to death in 2004. [2]

Mulga

• September 9: Jackstin Dannard "Jack" Hunter, 18, was found shot to death alongside a road. He had apparently been kidnapped from his home in Ensley and robbed. His mother, Regina Hunter, a school principal, received 2:00 phone call demanding a ransom before his body was found. Phillip Spencer and Arthur Love were charged with capital murder. Love pleaded guilty and testified against his accomplices in exchange for a 25-year sentence. Spencer was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Spencer's one-time girlfriend, Menyana Hardy, who was 17 when she was alleged to have lured Hunter into an ambush, was charged as an adult. She was convicted of felony murder and sentenced to 25 years. Her petitions for parole were denied in 2019 and 2024. (report)

Pleasant Grove

• April 8: Jimmy Hill, 41, a Pleasant Grove grocer, died from injuries sustained on April 7 by a brutal baseball bat beating. Teenagers Mark Harper, Jeremy Cain, and Zachary Cain were convicted of murder. A fourth teen, Chris Stano, recieved probation for his role.

This list is incomplete and may never satisfy any subjective standard for completeness. You can help Bhamwiki by expanding it.

Unincorporated Jefferson County

• September 16: Michael Galloway, 25, was found beaten to death in a Jeep Wrangler in a ditch off of Blue Creek Road near Alabama Highway 216 in McCalla. (report)
• September 18: Gerald Atchinson, 31, died at Carraway Methodist Medical Center from injuries suffered in the same incident. His brother, David, survived and told investigators that they had been beaten in Tuscaloosa before being left in the ditch.

Lee County

• September 28: Tramaris "Stank" Bryant, 24, was killed in a double homicide at his mobile home in Opelika. No arrest. (report)
• September 28: Tyrone "Winchie" Brooks, 28, was killed in the same incident.