On a spring day in Birmingham, Alabama, a family’s concern for a loved one led to a devastating discovery. The victims were 62-year-old Cynthia Delane Burt, described by neighbors as a wonderful and loving woman who would give anyone her last, and her grandson, Desmond Burt Jr., a three-year-old Black boy. Friends and neighbors remembered Cynthia as a welcoming presence, often seen sitting on her porch on a warm day, and were left reeling by the tragedy.
The events unfolded on Sunday,
April 3, 2022, after family members grew worried because they had been unable to reach Cynthia. They contacted police to request a welfare check at her home on Hillman Drive Southwest. At approximately 5:12 p.m., officers from the Birmingham Police Department’s West Precinct and personnel from Birmingham Fire and Rescue arrived at the residence. When they could not make contact with anyone inside, they forced their way into the home. In a back room, they found the bodies of Cynthia and young Desmond. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation quickly pointed toward a domestic-related homicide. According to warrant documents released later, the causes of death were horrifically violent. Cynthia Burt died from blunt force trauma to the head, inflicted with a child’s scooter. Her grandson, Desmond, was killed by a laceration across his neck and throat with a knife.
The primary suspect was identified as Desmond Burt Sr., who was 31 years old at the time. He was Cynthia's son and the father of Desmond Jr. In a chilling detail, he was reportedly standing outside the home with other concerned family members when police first arrived to conduct the welfare check. He was taken into custody at the scene for questioning.
On April 5, 2022, after detectives presented their findings to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, warrants were issued for his arrest. Desmond Burt Sr. was charged with two counts of capital murder. He was subsequently booked into the Jefferson County Jail, where he has been held without bond.
In the years that followed, questions arose regarding the suspect’s mental state at the time of the killings. A court-ordered mental evaluation was conducted by the Alabama Department of Mental Health. A competency hearing was held in April 2024, where the evaluation's results were presented. The department found that Desmond Burt Sr. was not experiencing symptoms of mental illness that would impact his competency and that he was aware of the nature of the alleged crimes. His attorneys did not contest the findings, and the court ruled him competent to stand trial. As of April 2024, he remains in custody awaiting the next steps in the legal process.
