On a tragic summer morning in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the life of 29-year-old Kimberlyn Martin was cut short in an act of violence that also claimed the life of her unborn daughter, Olivia. On July 27, 2025, just days before her due date, Martin was fatally shot at the Elevate at Highland apartment complex. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, but neither she nor her baby could be saved. Martin was a devoted mother to three other daughters.
Also wounded in the attack was Martin's boyfriend, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The shooting shattered the anticipation of a new life and left a family grappling with a devastating loss. Family members described Martin as a vibrant and loving mother who was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her fourth child. In the wake of the shooting, her three young daughters were taken into the care of child protective services, adding another layer of tragedy to the situation. The community and Martin's family were left searching for answers, pleading for anyone with information to come forward to help investigators piece together the events of that fatal morning.
More than a month after the shooting, a suspect was apprehended. On September 3, 2025, 28-year-old Alex Burns was arrested by Baton Rouge Police Homicide detectives with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force. Burns was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Kimberlyn Martin and her unborn child, and one count of attempted first-degree murder for the shooting of Martin's boyfriend. Law enforcement officials and family members revealed that the suspect, Alex Burns, is the brother of Dorian Burns, Kimberlyn Martin's boyfriend who was injured in the attack. It is believed that Dorian Burns was the intended target of the shooting.
In early 2026, the legal proceedings against Alex Burns began to move forward. On Tuesday, January 6, 2026, Burns appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. The case is expected to continue through the court system as he is due back for future proceedings.
