Mother Dying Alongside 5-Year-Old Son in Triple Homicide Texted Killer’s Name: Police

• An Alabama woman who was killed in a triple homicide texted the name of her alleged killer just moments before her death
• Jacorrian McGregor, 25, is facing a capital murder charge 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 claim that McGregor shot all three victims while they were in a car together last year

An Alabama woman who was killed in a triple homicide texted one word in her final moments that aided detectives in her murder investigation — the name of the man suspected of killing her.

According to a report from local outlet AL.com, 28-year-old Arkia “Kia” Berry texted the word “Jaco” to a friend just moments before her death in July 2024 — referring to 25-year-old Jacorrian McGregor, who was arrested for her murder.

McGregor is facing a capital murder charge for the shooting deaths of Arkia, her 5-year-old son Landyn Brooks, and her boyfriend Eric Ashley Jr., 28.

Last year, local outlets including CBS 42, AL.com and WVTM13 reported that police initially received a 911 call about a car accident in the Echo Highlands neighborhood of Birmingham. All three victims were found dead from gunshot wounds in the car.

During a preliminary hearing on Thursday, April 17, Birmingham homicide Det. Jarvelius Tolliver testified to a judge that investigators used evidence found on both Arkia and McGregor’s phones to link him to the case — and shared information about exactly how the man, woman and child died.

Per AL.com, Tolliver said that Arkia had been driving the car, her boyfriend was in the front passenger seat and Arkia’s 5-year-old son was in the back seat on the driver’s side. Arkia was found lying across the center console, and between 20 to 30 shell casings were recovered at the scene.

Before her death, Arkia texted the word “Jaco,” Tolliver added, noting that this was McGregor’s nickname. Phone records obtained by detectives also show that McGregor’s friends had been texting him about the shooting, telling him to “lay low, stay out of sight, say hidden.”

“She texted his name right before she died,” Tolliver said, per AL.com.

Officers were also investigating the theft of a green Kia, he added, which was set ablaze soon after the shooting and was also seen driving near Arkia’s car on security camera footage obtained by police.

Per the outlets, the shooting took place on July 13, 2024. Birmingham police received a 911 call at around 5 p.m. local time that day, and found a car covered with bullet holes soon after.

“We believe some sort of interaction took place between the occupants of the victims’ vehicle and the suspects’ vehicle,” police officer Truman Fitzgerald told AL.com last year.

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McGregor was not arrested until Feb. 24, per Birmingham police. Officials shared at the time of his arrest that the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force had contributed to the investigation. Investigators have not shared the exact nature of Arkia, Ashley and McGregor’s relationship.

According to AL.com, Arkia was a hairstylist, and Landyn played football and was set to begin kindergarten in the fall.

Aniya Berry, Arkia’s cousin, previously told WVTM 13 that the mother and son were like “two peas in a pod.”

“She loved her baby so much. Everything he wanted, he had. Everything he needed, he had. She took care of her baby the way she was supposed to,” Aniya told the outlet.

“Anytime we have a homicide, it affects us. But when you have a child, it affects you differently,” officer Fitzgerald added at the time of the shooting. “In this case, we have a small, school-aged child that got caught up in the violence that’s taking place in our city. We have to ask the question, ‘When is enough going to be enough?’ ”

McGregor is currently being held in the Jefferson County Jail and was not given bond. Following his court appearance on Thursday, a judge ruled that there was enough evidence for his case to move forward.