In the early morning hours of September 25, 2020, emergency services responded to a fire at the Watertown Lodge Apartments in Birmingham, Alabama. Inside one of the units, firefighters made a grim discovery. After extinguishing the flames, they found the body of 27-year-old Ladarrius Jamiel Brooks. It soon became apparent that the fire was not the cause of his death.
Investigators determined that Brooks had been shot to death before the fire was started.
Authorities believe the blaze was intentionally set in multiple locations within the apartment to conceal the homicide and destroy evidence. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office officially identified Brooks, and the Birmingham Police Department launched a homicide investigation into his death.
Despite the ongoing investigation and pleas for information from the public, no arrests have been reported in connection with the murder of Ladarrius Jamiel Brooks. His death was a significant loss to his loved ones and community, who held a funeral service to celebrate his life at New Beginning Christian Ministries, followed by his burial at Zion Memorial Gardens. The case remains unsolved, leaving his family still searching for answers and justice.
