Mom Dying Alongside 5-Yr-Previous Son in Triple Murder Texted Killer’s Title: Police

• An Alabama lady who was killed in a triple murder texted the identify of her alleged killer simply moments earlier than her loss of life
• Jacorrian McGregor, 25, is going through a capital homicide cost for the July 2024 deaths of 28-year-old Arkia “Kia” Berry, her 5-year-old son Landyn Brooks and her boyfriend Eric Ashley Jr., 28
• Police declare that McGregor shot all three victims whereas they had been in a automobile collectively final 12 months

An Alabama lady who was killed in a triple murder texted one phrase in her last moments that aided detectives in her homicide investigation — the identify of the person suspected of killing her.

In line with a report from native outlet AL.com, 28-year-old Arkia “Kia” Berry texted the phrase “Jaco” to a buddy simply moments earlier than her loss of life in July 2024 — referring to 25-year-old Jacorrian McGregor, who was arrested for her homicide.

McGregor is going through a capital homicide cost for the taking pictures deaths of Arkia, her 5-year-old son Landyn Brooks, and her boyfriend Eric Ashley Jr., 28.

Final 12 months, native shops together with CBS 42, AL.com and WVTM13 reported that police initially obtained a 911 name a few automobile accident within the Echo Highlands neighborhood of Birmingham. All three victims had been discovered lifeless from gunshot wounds within the automobile.

Throughout a preliminary listening to on Thursday, April 17, Birmingham murder Det. Jarvelius Tolliver testified to a choose that investigators used proof discovered on each Arkia and McGregor’s telephones to hyperlink him to the case — and shared details about precisely how the person, lady and baby died.

Per AL.com, Tolliver stated that Arkia had been driving the automobile, her boyfriend was within the entrance passenger seat and Arkia’s 5-year-old son was within the again seat on the motive force’s aspect. Arkia was discovered mendacity throughout the middle console, and between 20 to 30 shell casings had been recovered on the scene.

Earlier than her loss of life, Arkia texted the phrase “Jaco,” Tolliver added, noting that this was McGregor’s nickname. Telephone information obtained by detectives additionally present that McGregor’s associates had been texting him concerning the taking pictures, telling him to “lay low, keep out of sight, say hidden.”

“She texted his identify proper earlier than she died,” Tolliver stated, per AL.com.

Officers had been additionally investigating the theft of a inexperienced Kia, he added, which was set ablaze quickly after the taking pictures and was additionally seen driving close to Arkia’s automobile on safety digicam footage obtained by police.

Per the shops, the taking pictures came about on July 13, 2024. Birmingham police obtained a 911 name at round 5 p.m. native time that day, and located a automobile coated with bullet holes quickly after.

“We imagine some kind of interplay came about between the occupants of the victims’ automobile and the suspects’ automobile,” police officer Truman Fitzgerald advised AL.com final 12 months.

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McGregor was not arrested till Feb. 24, per Birmingham police. Officers shared on the time of his arrest that the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Job Drive had contributed to the investigation. Investigators haven’t shared the precise nature of Arkia, Ashley and McGregor’s relationship.

In line with AL.com, Arkia was a hairstylist, and Landyn performed soccer and was set to start kindergarten within the fall.

Aniya Berry, Arkia’s cousin, beforehand advised WVTM 13 that the mom and son had been like “two peas in a pod.”

“She liked her child a lot. All the things he needed, he had. All the things he wanted, he had. She took care of her child the way in which she was imagined to,” Aniya advised the outlet.

“Anytime we have now a murder, it impacts us. However when you’ve got a toddler, it impacts you in another way,” officer Fitzgerald added on the time of the taking pictures. “On this case, we have now a small, school-aged baby that acquired caught up within the violence that’s happening in our metropolis. Now we have to ask the query, ‘When is sufficient going to be sufficient?’ ”

McGregor is at the moment being held within the Jefferson County Jail and was not given bond. Following his courtroom look on Thursday, a choose dominated that there was sufficient proof for his case to maneuver ahead.