In the early morning hours of July 17, 2018, the life of 40-year-old Dakisha Stutson, a female resident of Birmingham, Alabama, was tragically cut short. The violence unfolded in a home in the Acipco Cottages neighborhood at approximately 2 a.m. when police responded to a report of gunshots. Upon their arrival, officers discovered a grim scene with three victims.
Dakisha Stutson was pronounced dead at the scene.
The two other victims were Stutson's boyfriend, Antwon Tremaine Charles, and her 18-year-old son, Travon Stutson. Both had been shot while reportedly trying to protect Dakisha. They were rushed to UAB Hospital for treatment. Travon Stutson was shot in the arm and underwent surgery, while Charles was critically injured but ultimately survived.
The suspect in the deadly shooting was identified as Dakisha's own brother, Clifford Stutson, who was 43 at the time. Family members reported that he had come to the house earlier, but no one had opened the door. When he returned, Dakisha opened the door, and he immediately began shooting. A short time after the incident, police found Clifford Stutson asleep at a traffic light and took him into custody.
Clifford Stutson was subsequently charged with one count of murder for his sister's death and two counts of attempted murder for the shootings of her boyfriend and son. In October 2021, a Jefferson County jury found him guilty of all charges. The conviction carried a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
