In the early evening of Sunday, February 7, 2021, a dispute in the Apple Valley neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama, tragically escalated, leaving one man dead. Ladarius Bloxom, a 30-year-old Black male, was fatally shot outside the Valley Brook Apartments, located in the 2900 block of Gallant Drive. Officers from the Birmingham Police Department's East Precinct responded to the scene to find Bloxom's body.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to another 30-year-old man,
Ladarius Antwan Hayes. While the exact nature of the relationship between the two men has not been publicly detailed, the ensuing investigation led to a significant charge against Hayes. The circumstances of the encounter suggest a violent confrontation, as the charges filed indicate that the homicide occurred during the commission of a robbery.
Within days of the fatal shooting, Ladarius Hayes was taken into custody by the Birmingham Police Department. On February 10, 2021, he was formally charged with capital murder. Following his arrest, Hayes was booked into the Jefferson County Jail, where he has been held as a pretrial inmate. The legal proceedings in the case are ongoing as he awaits trial for the death of Ladarius Bloxom. In addition to the capital murder charge, records indicate a later charge of promoting prison contraband was added in October 2025.
