2021 Birmingham homicides

This is a List of Birmingham homicides in 2021. It includes homicide cases occurring 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.

18 homicides have been reported in the city as of March 15, putting the city on pace for 89 for the year. Based on the 2018 census estimate of 209,400 population, that represents a homicide rate of 42.5 homicides per 100,000 residents. Birmingham had 124 homicides in 2020. The recent record low of 63 homicides was set in 2014, and the recent record high was 141 in 1992. At this point last year, 23 homicides had been reported.

The city has averaged 7.2 homicides per month, or one every 4.1 days. There were 7 fatal incidents of violence in January, 8 in February and 3 so far in March. The longest stretch without a homicide was the 12-day span between January 20 and February 1. 4 deaths were reported on Sundays, 3 on Mondays, 0 on Tuesdays, 1 on a Wednesday, 4 on Thursdays, 2 on Fridays, and 3 on Saturdays.

One homicide was a police-involved shooting. One of the other reported homicides was ruled justifiable as self-defense by investigators or prosecutors. The police department therefore acknowledges 16 chargeable homicides, none of which were charged as manslaughter. Suspects have been identified in 9 cases, arrested in 8 and charged in 7. One other death that resulted from a shooting in Pinson is being investigated by Birmingham police.

15 deaths so far have resulted from shootings, and 3 from unannounced causes. 6 incidents occurred at private homes, 3 at apartment complexes, 1 at a motel, 1 at a park, 2 at businesses, and 5 on the streets. 8 were reported in the West Precinct, 9 in the East Precinct, 0 in the South Precinct and 1 in the North Precinct.

One homicide took place in self defense, 1 was believed to have been a domestic dispute, 3 followed verbal arguments and at least 1 appeared to be a targeted killing. The motive is unknown in 12 deaths.

16 victims were male and 2 were female. One was a small child.

Listing by date

1. January 1: Carl Joseph Miserendino III, 35, was found dead on the side of a house on the 4000 block of 40th Avenue North in Inglenook. Isaiah Williams White was charged with capital murder. He was captured in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in January. Miserendino's car was also recovered in Florida. (report)
2. January 2: Chong Ku Hwang, 56, known to be a transient, was found dead in the southern part of Linn Park in Central City. No arrest. (report)
3. January 3: Brian Keith Fleming, 52, was found shot to death on a walk near the apartment building at 2108 Warrior Road in Ensley Highlands. A 17-year-old suspect was charged with murder. (report)
4. January 11: LaCorey Lashard McDonald, 31, died at St Vincent's East from wounds suffered in an assault in Zion City. No arrest. (report)
5. January 17: Timothy Hall, 39, was found dead from gunshot wounds in a car abandoned behind the Shell gas station at 3833 East Lake Boulevard in Inglenook. The shooting occurred earlier on the 200 block of 62nd Street South in South Woodlawn. Lawrence Earl Eaton turned himself in to police. (report)
6. January 18: Kenneth Buford, 47, was shot to death while driving on the 1400 block of Bankhead Highway in Thomas. The suspects were reported to have fired from a pickup truck. No arrest. (report)
7. January 20: Eusi Malik Kater Jr, 21, died from gunshot wounds suffered during a shootout with police on the 600 block of Center Place Southwest in South Titusville. The incident is being reviewed by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation. (report)
8. February 1: Eula Mae Moore, 75, and Derrick Cornell Moore, 54, were found shot to death in the elder Moore's home at 1481 Edwards Street in Dolomite. One of the victims is presumed a victim of homicide, while the other has not been classified by investigators. No arrest. (report)
9. February 4: Edward Dee Stewart III, 33, was shot to death at the Anchor Motel at 8420 1st Avenue North in North East Lake. James Harrison was arrested and charged with murder. (report)
10. February 4: Major Turner, 2, died at Children's Hospital from a gunshot wound suffered at his home in the Kimbrough Homes public housing community on the 2900 block of John Bryan Road in Wenonah. His mother was also wounded by gunshots, which came from outside the apartment. No arrest. (report)
11. February 6: Carlos Mines, 26, was shot to death while in a car near Birmingham Fire Station No. 18 at 200 Dugan Avenue in North Pratt. A person of interest was taken into custody at the scene for questioning. No arrest. (report)
12. February 7: Ladarius Bloxom, 30, was shot to death during a robbery at the Valley Brook Apartments on the 2900 block of Gallant Drive in Apple Valley. Ladarius Hayes was arrested and charged with capital murder. (report)
13. February 17: Ogle Terrance Avery, 40, was found shot to death following an altercation at the Shell gas station at 800 3rd Avenue West in Bush Hills. Quarmica Lashun Colley was arrested and charged with murder. Another individual is likely to also be charged. (report)
14. February 20: LaTeshia Danner, 33, died at UAB Hospital from gunshot wounds suffered in the parking lot of Eastmont Villa apartments at 7521–7529 2nd Avenue North in Wahouma. Her boyfriend, Leonard Charles Tolbert, was arrested and charged with murder. (report)
15. February 25: Detraio Deshawn Whorton, 27, was shot to death while in a car in the parking lot of Zing's Custom Car Wash at 8610 1st Avenue North in North East Lake. Investigators determined that he initiated an altercation with an acquaintance, and that the shooting was justified. (report)
16. March 4: Terrance Jerome Hardy, 39, was found dead from a gunshot wound in a burning apartment on the 100 block of Wood Station Place in South Woodlawn. Iesa Collins was arrested and charged with murder and abuse of a corpse. (report)
17. March 12: Robert Henry Goodgame, 41, was found shot to death in an apartment at 962 53rd Street North in Woodlawn. No arrest. (report)
18. March 13: Levert Mickens, 63, was found shot to death after an altercation at the porch of a boarding house in the 500 block of St Charles Avenue Southwest in Arlington-West End. One person was detained for questioning, but no charges have been announced. (report)

Responses

Paul Hollman, pastor of Mount Mariah Baptist Church, called on Mayor Randall Woodfin to declare a state of emergency over the city's homicide rate. His church has sponsored billboards with the message "Let’s Build. Not Kill! Reset 2021," and launched "Citizens Against Killings" campaign.

See also

• List of homicides in 2021
• Birmingham homicides by year
• Crime in Birmingham

References

• Robinson, Carol (January 4, 2021) "Birmingham pastor says killings ‘out of control, unacceptable,’ calls for state of emergency." The Birmingham News