In the early hours of June 14, 2020, the sound of multiple gunshots pierced the quiet of a Birmingham, Alabama neighborhood, forever altering the course of one family's life. Responding to a ShotSpotter alert just after midnight in the 7600 block of 3rd Avenue South, police discovered the body of 26-year-old Lamar Harris. He was found lying unresponsive in the front yard of a residence, having sustained several gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene but were unable to save him, and he was pronounced dead.
Initial investigations painted a tragic picture of Harris's final moments. It is believed that he was simply riding his bicycle when he was ambushed and fatally shot. For a considerable time, the case remained unsolved, with no suspects publicly identified and the motive behind the violent act a mystery to both law enforcement and the community. The senseless killing left a void in the lives of those who knew and loved Harris, as they waited for answers and justice.
After a lengthy and persistent investigation, detectives with the Birmingham Police Department were able to identify a suspect in the nearly three-year-old cold case. Torace Jahkino Laster, 25, of Center Point, Alabama, was identified as the individual allegedly responsible for Lamar Harris's death. Investigators believe the motive stemmed from Laster being upset with Harris over a purported theft.
Detectives presented their findings to the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office, which led to warrants being issued for Laster's arrest. He was charged with murder and being a certain person forbidden to possess a firearm. At the time the warrants were issued, Laster was already incarcerated in a federal correctional institute in Memphis, Tennessee, on unrelated charges. He was to be extradited to Jefferson County to face the charges related to the homicide of Lamar Harris.
