On a tragic day in March 2018, three-year-old Livia Robinson, a young female, was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting at her home in Huntsville, Alabama. The incident, which occurred on March 7, stemmed from a dispute on social media. Livia, who was known affectionately as 'Sweet Livia,' was inside her home with her parents and a friend of her mother's when multiple shots were fired from a passing vehicle.
Investigators determined that a bullet struck a metal piece on the front door,
deflecting and hitting Livia in the shoulder. Her father, hearing the gunfire, was unaware his daughter had been shot until she collapsed. She was rushed to a local hospital where she later died from her injuries. The young girl, who would have celebrated her fourth birthday in May of that year, was remembered by her family as a happy and loving child.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to the arrests of three individuals: Martin Evenes, then 26; Dominique Russell, also 26; and Brittany Kingston, 27. All three were charged with capital murder. Authorities identified Evenes as the shooter, Russell as the driver of the vehicle, and Kingston as a passenger. The motive for the shooting was traced back to a Facebook argument involving Evenes, Kingston, and a friend of Livia's mother who was present at the home during the incident. The online altercation reportedly escalated throughout the day, culminating in the fatal drive-by shooting.
In March 2023, the trial for Martin Evenes began. During the proceedings, both Brittany Kingston and Dominique Russell testified against him. They stated that they were in the car with Evenes at the time of the shooting but claimed they were unaware of his intention to commit a drive-by shooting. Russell testified that the gun used in the shooting belonged to him and that Evenes had taken it from the glove compartment. The trials for Kingston and Russell were scheduled to take place after the conclusion of Evenes's trial. If convicted of capital murder, the defendants face the possibility of the death penalty or life in prison without parole.
