In her final moments, a young Alabama mother managed to send a chilling text that may have revealed the identity of her killer — a clue that could prove pivotal in a devastating triple homicide case.
Arkia “Kia” Berry, 28, and her 5-year-old son, Landyn Brooks, were gunned down in a hail of bullets while sitting in a car in Birmingham on July 13, 2024. Berry’s boyfriend, 28-year-old Eric Ashley Jr., was also killed in the same brutal attack.
During a preliminary court hearing this week, Det. Jarvelius Tolliver of the Birmingham Police Department revealed a piece of key evidence: a text message Berry sent at 5:09 p.m., just moments before the ambush, which read only one word: “Jaco.”
That name, investigators say, is the known nickname of 25-year-old Jacorrian McGregor, who was arrested months after the killings and charged with capital murder.
A Timeline of Tragedy
Surveillance footage from the neighborhood shows a lime green Kia Soul entering the area at 5:07 p.m. One minute later, Berry’s blue Nissan Maxima is seen driving into view. At 5:09 p.m., Berry’s text naming “Jaco” is sent — at the exact same time, Ashley’s phone places a call to McGregor.
Then, at 5:10 p.m., the Kia Soul is captured speeding away from the scene. No other vehicles were seen entering or leaving the neighborhood around that time, according to police.
When officers arrived minutes later, they found the Maxima riddled with bullets, parked in a cul-de-sac. Berry’s lifeless body was discovered between the front and back seats — next to her young son, who had also been fatally shot.
The Case Against McGregor
According to Det. Tolliver, Ashley and McGregor had exchanged text messages earlier that day, discussing plans to meet up. A witness told police that McGregor allegedly confessed, stating, “I shot.”
Although McGregor’s attorney, John Robbins, argued there was no direct evidence tying his client to the lime green Kia, Tolliver pointed to Berry’s final message: “She texted his name right before she died.”
Robbins countered, “That doesn’t mean he was the shooter.” But the judge disagreed, ruling that there was enough probable cause to move the case to a grand jury. McGregor remains in custody without bond.