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Background: News footage from the scene of the July 2024 triple murder in Birmingham, Ala. (WVTM). Inset (left): Jacorrian McGregor (Birmingham Police Department). Inset (right): Arkia “Kia” Berry (Davenport & Harris Funeral Homes).
An Alabama woman who died during a fatal shooting that also took the life of her 5-year-old son texted the name of the man suspected of committing the crime in her final moments.
Arkia “Kia” Berry, 28, was one of three people in a car that was found riddled with bullets on July 13, 2024, along with her 5-year-old son Landyn Brooks and her 28-year-old boyfriend Eric Ashley Jr. According to reporting by local news outlet Al.com, Birmingham homicide Det. Jarvelius Tolliver appeared in court for a preliminary hearing related to the case and presented evidence from the investigation into the triple homicide.
Part of the evidence included text messages sent from the victims’ phones, including a cryptic one sent from Berry that seemed to name the suspect.
Months after the shooting, the Birmingham Police Department arrested 25-year-old Jacorrian McGregor and charged him with capital murder in connection to the crime. When McGregor appeared for his preliminary hearing on Thursday, Tolliver stated that evidence found on Berry’s phone allegedly pointed at him being responsible.
According to Al.com’s reporting, Berry texted the word “Jaco” to a friend at 5:09 p.m. on the day of the shooting. “Jaco” is reportedly known to be McGregor’s nickname.
One of the homes in the neighborhood where the shooting took place had a surveillance camera that picked up the image of a lime green Kia Soul at 5:07 p.m. At 5:08 p.m., the blue Nissan Maxima that was being driven by Berry can be seen.
In addition to Berry’s 5:09 p.m. text, Ashley’s phone placed a call to McGregor at the exact same time.
At 5:10 p.m., the Kia can be seen on the same camera speeding out of the neighborhood. Tolliver stated that no other cars were seen after that. Police responded to the scene shortly after that time and found the Nissan in a cul-de-sac, riddled with bullets. Officers at the scene reportedly found Berry’s body between the front and back seat, where her son was found.
Tolliver said that McGregor and Ashley exchanged text messages earlier in the day that indicated that they were planning to meet up. Another witness to whom Tolliver spoke stated said, “McGregor told him he had shot.”
McGregor’s attorney, John Robbins, asked Tolliver if there was any evidence that McGregor was connected to the Kia. Tolliver said there wasn’t. When Robbins asked Tolliver if there were any possible witnesses that could connect his client to the Kia, the detective identified Berry, saying, “She texted his name right before she died.”
Robbins countered, saying that “doesn’t mean he was the shooter.”
The judge sided with the prosecution and ruled that there was enough probable cause to send the case to the grand jury. McGregor was ordered to remain in custody without bond.
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