Updated at 7:04 p.m. on April 21, 2016
BIRMINGHAM – Vershawn Edwards, 17, and Horayshio Fletcher, 17, have been arrested and charged with capital murder in the homicide of James Bennefield, 46, of Cullman. They are being held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail.
Officers from the Birmingham Police Department responded to a shots fired call at 11:47 a.m. Wednesday on Lomb Avenue Southwest in Birmingham to find Cullman resident Bennefield deceased on the scene.
“On Wednesday, April 20, 2016 around 11:47 a.m., officers from the West Precinct responded to the listed location on a person down,” said Lt. Sean Edwards, public information officer for BPD. “Officers observed the victim lying on the ground in the driveway suffering from what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the body.”
Edwards stated that Birmingham Fire and Rescue pronounced Bennefield deceased.
As far as a motive, Edwards stated on Wednesday, “Investigators learned the victim might have been in an altercation with someone right before he was shot. According to a witness, while she was inside her residence she heard people outside arguing around 10 p.m. last night and later heard several gunshots. The next morning, the witness found the victim lying next to her car in the driveway around 11:30 a.m. and immediately notified police.”
According to WBRC FOX6 News, Cleopatra Hogan lives in the 1500 block of Lomb Avenue. She said she was on the phone when she heard some men arguing around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 19. Shortly afterward, she heard a couple of gunshots.
Hogan didn't call police on Tuesday night or look outside to see what was happening. When she was leaving her house for church on Wednesday morning, she found the body of a white male in her driveway, Birmingham Police Lt. Sean Edwards said.
Hogan said she thinks the victim tried to knock on her door for help but didn't make it.
According to a BPD media release that was issued late this afternoon, West Precinct Task Force officers were able to locate the victim’s truck several hours later on Powderly Avenue SW. Officers attempted to stop the truck on 24th Street Southwest, but the suspects refused to stop. After a short pursuit the vehicle turned into Cooper Green Park, where the driver lost control of the truck and struck a tree. The suspects exited the vehicle running and were immediately apprehended by West Precinct officers.
"This homicide shows the multiple issues we face with violent crime. Here we have two young men, one out on bond for another crime, committing a senseless act of violence. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family and yet we cannot forget about the potential of these young men that has now been wasted,” said Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper.
For background, see http://www.cullmansense.com/articles/2016/04/20/cullman-man-found-deceased-lomb-avenue-birmingham.
