2015 Birmingham homicides
This is a List of Birmingham homicides in 2015. 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.
A total of 21 homicides have been reported in the city as of March 12, putting the city on pace for 108 for the year. Based on the 2013 census estimate of 212,113 population, that would represent 50.9 homicides per 100,000 population. Birmingham had a record low of 62 homicides in 2014 and 69 homicides in 2013. The recent record high was 141 in 1992. At this time in 2014 there had been 6 homicides reported.
The city has averaged 8.8 homicides per month, or one every 3.4 days. There were 7 incidents in January, 8 in February, and 6 so far in March. The longest stretch without a homicide was the 10 days between January 16 and 26. Two deaths were reported on Sundays, 1 on a Monday, 6 on Tuesdays, 3 on Wednesdays, 5 on Thursdays, 4 on Fridays and none on Saturdays.
Of the 21 reported homicides, suspects have been identified in 12 cases, apprehended in 8, and charged in 7. Three incidents, including one police shooting, were apparent self-defense, one was ruled accidental, another was caused by reckless driving rather than malice aforethought, and one resulted from neglecting the welfare of a child. The police department therefore acknowledges 16 chargeable homicides, of which 14 so far have been classified as murders.
At least fifteen homicides were shootings, three resulted from vehicle collisions, two from strangulation, and one from abuse to a child. Eight took place on the streets, three in driveways, four inside homes, one at a gas station, four at apartment complexes, and one in a motel. Ten were reported in the West Precinct, 6 in the East Precinct, 3 in the South Precinct and 2 in the North Precinct. Five deaths were the result of domestic disputes or love triangles, one from a staged fight that got out of hand, three were drug related, two others were caused by reckless driving, and one resulted from child abuse. Seventeen victims were male and four were female.
Listing by date
- January 4: Darrell Edward Watkins, 37, was struck by a car while walking along Ishkooda Road on his way home from a neighborhood shop. He was taken to UAB Hospital where he died from his injuries. No arrest. (report)
- January 6: Jaremiah Mason Hayes, 2, died at Children's Hospital from head injuries sustained at his home in Ensley. The Jefferson County Coroner determined that the death was a homicide. D'Juan Lovell Steen, a boyfriend of the victim's mother, was arrested and charged with capital murder. The charge was reduced to manslaughter by Judge Virginia Vinson after a preliminary hearing. (report)
- January 14: Cheryl Smith, 38, was crushed by a car following an argument with her husband at their home on the 1700 block of 34th Street North in Norwood. No arrest. (report)
- January 16: Lucretia Rachel, 45, was found strangled to death in room 111 of the Birmingham Inn on 3rd Avenue West. Johnny "Squeeky" Coach, Jr was arrested and charged with murder. (report)
- January 16: Mark Andrew Kieskowski, 47, was found strangled to death in his living room on the 900 block of 28th Street South in Highland Park. Jason Paul Hopkins and Dane Donovan Leach were arrested in Shelby County and charged with capital murder. (report)
- January 26: James Darryl Kinnion, 46, was found shot to death at the corner of 33rd Avenue and 34th Street North in Collegeville. No arrest. (report)
- January 30: Jeffrey Cade, 45, was shot to death in his car at the Shell station at Princeton Parkway and 3rd Avenue West. No arrest (report)
- February 5: Tydarius Dewayne Adams, 29, was shot to death in a breezeway at the Watertown Apartments on Watertown Circle after an argument over a suspected drug transaction. No arrest. (report)
- February 7: Raphael Roman, 29, was found shot at Interlaken Avenue and 64th Court Way South in Marks Village housing project. He had argued with his girlfriend earlier and then with her brother, who is the suspected shooter. Ronald Austin was arrested and charged with murder. (report)
- February 10: Anthony Dewantez "Scooter" Jones, 28, was shot to death in a drive-by while standing on a driveway on the 4000 block of 38th Avenue North, across from Inglenook Park in Inglenook. (report)
- February 17: Miracle Stinson, 14, was shot to death outside his grandmother's home at 2600 Avenue L following an altercation at the Ensley Library. Jibrail Hutchinson was arrested and charged with murder. (report)
- February 20: Stanley Lamar Grant, 38, was shot and killed by a Homewood Police officer returning fire during a drug warrant search at the Towncrest Apartments on the 2200 block of Green Springs Highway. (report)
- February 26: Brittany Nicole Ford, 21, died at UAB Hospital from injuries sustained in a February 12 shooting on the 7500 block of 66th Court Way South in the Marks Village housing community. She was hit inside her apartment by a stray bullet fired during a confrontation outside. No arrest. (report)
- February 26: Fredrick Junior Pryor, 24, was found shot to death inside his Chevy C1500 pick-up on the 500 block of Avenue B in Pratt City. No arrest. (report)
- February 27: Kierra'onna "Keke" Rice, 14, was shot in the chest, and then run over by a car, in the aftermath of a long-simmering fight staged for social media at Washington Park, on the 900 block of Washington Avenue near Princeton Hospital. Antonio King and Jason Wade were charged with murder and assault (report)
- March 1: Cedric Dewayne Pierson, 32, died at UAB Hospital from injuries sustained in a February 22 gunfight inside a home on the 7400 block of 1st Avenue South. Pierson and his brother were visiting the homeowner's nephew when her son, Cadarius Owens, came to check on her and got into an argument with them. Both were wounded in the shooting. Owens was initially charged with first-degree assault, with a murder charge added after Pierson's death. (report)
- March 3: Stewart Antonio Pritchett, 27, was fatally wounded in a shooting at a traffic signal on the 1500 block of Pearson Avenue Southwest. According to witnesses he approached a vehicle at the light and fired into it and was hit by return fire. The shooter was also wounded, but is expected to recover. (report)
- March 4: Willie Albert Stevens, 30, was shot and killed at a home on Columbia Street at Dugan Avenue in North Pratt. He reportedly came to the house of his former girlfriend and assaulted her before her current boyfriend intervened. The argument ended with the shooting. The shooter was taken into custody at the scene, but has not been charged. (report)
- March 10: Van Clair Williams, 71, was found shot to death outside his vehicle, which was parked on his driveway on the 600 block of Parkview Drive in eastern Birmingham. A gun was recovered nearby, but was found not to have fired the fatal shot. No arrest. (report)
- March 10: Jarvis Kawanz Bell, 25, was found shot to death inside a Chevrolet Impala on the 2700 block of Burrell Street near Slayden Avenue in Ensley. No arrest. (report)
- March 11: Jianli An, 50, died at UAB Hospital from injuries he sustained three months earlier when he was struck by a car crossing 11th Avenue South at the intersection of 18th Street in Southside on December 11, 2014. The incident was investigate by Birmingham police, but it was ruled accidental and no charges were filed. (report)