In the summer of 2023, a tragedy unfolded in Birmingham, Alabama, forever altering the lives of two families. Deforest Chanier Kines Jr., a 28-year-old Black male, was found inside a vehicle on Zinnia Lane, the victim of a fatal shooting. The grim discovery was made on the morning of Thursday, July 13, 2023, when East Precinct officers were dispatched to the 500 block of the residential street after reports of shots fired.
Upon their arrival, officers found a car that had been riddled
with bullets. Inside, they discovered the unresponsive bodies of Deforest Kines and another man, 30-year-old Cardarrius Bryant of Fultondale. Both men had sustained apparent gunshot wounds, and despite the immediate response of Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel, their lives could not be saved. They were pronounced deceased at the scene, turning a quiet neighborhood street into the site of a double homicide investigation.
As authorities began to piece together the events of that fateful morning, details remained scarce. The Birmingham Police Department launched a full-scale investigation, but the initial stages yielded no suspects and no arrests. The case has since grown cold, and investigators have turned to the public for assistance, urging anyone with information to come forward. A reward of up to $5,000 has been offered for tips that could lead to a breakthrough in the case, a felony warrant, or an arrest. To date, the shooting that claimed the lives of Deforest Chanier Kines Jr. and Cardarrius Bryant remains an unsolved crime, leaving their families to grapple with unanswered questions and the enduring pain of their loss.
