In Northport, Alabama, on the evening of July 2, 2025, Jermaine Dashun Witherspoon, a 28-year-old man, was fatally shot. The incident occurred around 7:42 p.m. in the 11400 block of Fairwood Avenue in the Huntington Place neighborhood. Witherspoon was sitting inside a car when he was shot multiple times. He was quickly transported to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrest of 47-year-old Joyce Reed of Tuscaloosa County.
Authorities have described Reed as an acquaintance of Witherspoon. According to the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, the shooting followed a disagreement between Reed and Witherspoon. Investigators determined that Reed was standing outside the vehicle when she fired at Witherspoon, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting. The exact nature of their relationship is still under investigation.
Joyce Reed was subsequently charged with capital murder in connection with Witherspoon's death. Following her arrest, she was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail where she is being held without bond. In the wake of his death, Witherspoon's family set up a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses, expressing their profound grief and describing him as someone full of life, laughter, and love. Funeral services for Jermaine Witherspoon were scheduled for July 18, 2025.
