On a Friday afternoon in Bessemer, Alabama, what was meant to be a time of mourning turned into a scene of violence that claimed the life of 27-year-old D’Angelo Le’Marcus Samuel. The male victim, a rapper known locally as Landlord Lo, was attending a funeral reception for his uncle at the Brighton Community Center on December 13, 2024, when gunfire erupted.
Samuel and another man, 38-year-old Roderick Hall, were both shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.
The tragic event unfolded as Samuel and Hall were standing outside the community center. Surveillance footage from the location captured the harrowing moments as a suspect approached and opened fire on the two men before fleeing the scene in an SUV. The brazen shooting, which took place while numerous people, including children, were inside the center for the repast, sent shockwaves through the community and led to the cancellation of the town's Christmas parade.
In the wake of the double homicide, an investigation quickly pointed to a suspect. James David Abercrombie, a 27-year-old from Fairfield with a significant criminal history, was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder for the deaths of Samuel and Hall. Further investigation revealed a volatile history between the alleged shooter and Samuel. Abercrombie was also implicated in a previous shooting incident in October where Samuel was wounded. While authorities have not officially released a motive for the killings, the prior violence suggests an ongoing conflict between the two men. Abercrombie is currently being held without bail.
