On the first day of the new year, January 1, 2025, the life of Derek Marcus Burpo, a 51-year-old Black/African American man, was tragically cut short in Birmingham, Alabama. Known affectionately as "Dink" to his family, Burpo was a man of quiet dedication and intellect. A 1991 graduate of Huffman High School, he went on to earn a degree from Alabama State University and an MBA, and was even pursuing a Ph.D.
Despite his academic achievements, he had been working as a dedicated delivery driver for Domino's Pizza for about two years, a job he took pride in, working six days a week to support his family. He was the primary caregiver for his elderly mother, and his devotion to her was a testament to his kind and steady character.
The night of his death began like any other shift. Burpo was out making deliveries when he was dispatched to the 400 block of Roebuck Drive. Around 9 p.m., police received calls reporting shots fired in the area, followed by another call about a man lying unresponsive on a private roadway. When officers arrived, they found Burpo suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators believe he was the victim of a robbery that turned fatal, a senseless act of violence that marked Birmingham's first homicide of 2025.
In the months following the heartbreaking incident, the community has been left seeking answers and justice for a man described as gentle, soft-spoken, and an "ideal human being." Despite the ongoing investigation and pleas from both his grieving family and the Birmingham Police Department, no arrests have been made in the case. As of late August 2025, authorities are still actively seeking help from the public to identify the person or persons responsible for Derek Burpo's murder. A reward of up to $5,000 has been offered by CrimeStoppers for any information that leads to an arrest, as a family continues to mourn the profound loss of a beloved son taken from them far too soon.
