An Alabama tragedy devastated the city of Birmingham when a young mother and her 5-year-old son were shot and killed in what authorities have described as a targeted attack. In her final moments, the mother managed to provide police with a vital clue that ultimately led to the arrest of a suspect months later. The shooting occurred on July 13, 2024, around 5 p.m., in the Echo Highlands neighborhood, a normally quiet residential area located on the northeast side of the city.
According to the Birmingham Police Department, officers initially responded to a call about a car accident. However, when they arrived at the scene, they quickly realized they were dealing with something far more sinister. A blue Nissan Maxima had crashed into a wooded area off the road, riddled with bullet holes. Inside the vehicle were three victims: 28-year-old Arkia “Kia” Berry, her boyfriend, 26-year-old Eric Ashley Jr., and her young son, Landyn Brooks, who had just celebrated his fifth birthday earlier that year.
Family members described Berry as a devoted mother who poured her heart and soul into raising her son. “She loved her baby so much. Everything he wanted, he had. Everything he needed, he had,” a relative shared, emphasizing the tight-knit bond between Arkia and Landyn. Friends said Berry had dreams of building a better life for her son and was working toward a nursing degree.
Investigators recovered between 20 and 30 spent shell casings at the crime scene, indicating that the victims were ambushed in a hail of gunfire. Despite the substantial physical evidence, leads were initially scarce. It would take months of painstaking work before police could connect the dots and make an arrest.
The breakthrough came from a single, crucial text message Berry managed to send just before her death. In it, she simply wrote the word “Jaco.” Investigators immediately began piecing together who “Jaco” might be, eventually linking the name to 25-year-old Jacorrian McGregor, a known associate of Ashley’s and someone with prior arrests for drug possession and theft.
Surveillance video from a nearby home added further evidence. Footage captured a lime green Kia Soul — a vehicle not commonly seen in the neighborhood — circling the area shortly before the shooting. The blue Nissan Maxima was seen moments later, followed by a loud series of gunshots. Shortly after, Ashley’s cell phone showed a call made to McGregor, coinciding almost exactly with the time Arkia sent her desperate text message.
Further deepening the case, the Kia Soul was found abandoned and burned out in a wooded area days after the crime. Although the car had been reported stolen, the owner initially failed to notify authorities immediately, raising suspicions that the vehicle was intentionally taken for use in the crime.
During preliminary hearings, Officer Jarvelius Tolliver testified that texts exchanged earlier that day showed McGregor and Ashley arranging a meeting. However, forensic analysis revealed that McGregor had deleted most of his messages and was later seen communicating with individuals who advised him to “lay low.” Officers found these communications suspicious and interpreted them as evidence that McGregor knew he was being hunted by law enforcement.
At a hearing before District Judge William Bell, Officer Truman Fitzgerald explained that the encounter between the two vehicles was not accidental. “There was an interaction between them before the shooting began. It was clear they knew each other,” Fitzgerald said, pointing to evidence of the planned nature of the attack.
McGregor’s attorney attempted to cast doubt on the connection between McGregor and the stolen Kia Soul, arguing that circumstantial evidence was insufficient. However, prosecutors emphasized the timing of the phone calls, the surveillance footage, and, most importantly, Berry’s dying message as strong indicators of McGregor’s involvement. Based on the overwhelming evidence, Judge Bell ruled that the case would be presented to a grand jury. McGregor was denied bond and remains incarcerated at the Jefferson County Jail awaiting trial.
Family members continue to mourn the profound loss of Arkia and Landyn. Arkia’s cousin, Aniya Berry, described their relationship as inseparable, saying, “They were like two peas in a pod. Arkia did everything for Landyn. Her world revolved around him.”
The devastating crime has sent shockwaves through Birmingham, a city already grappling with rising violent crime rates. Officer Fitzgerald acknowledged the emotional toll the case had taken on the police force and the community, calling the death of a child especially gut-wrenching. “There’s no way to make sense of losing a five-year-old like this,” Fitzgerald said at a press conference. “It tears at the heart of the community.”
Birmingham, which recorded over 140 homicides in 2023 — one of the highest rates among U.S. cities — has been struggling to find solutions to curb escalating gun violence. City leaders, including Mayor Randall Woodfin, have launched several initiatives, including expanded community policing efforts and youth intervention programs, but tragedies like the Berry-Brooks murders underscore the uphill battle they face.
Community leaders and family members are calling for justice and pushing for greater efforts to address the root causes of violence. Vigils have been held in Echo Highlands, with residents demanding safer streets and stronger policing.
