BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A 27-year-old Birmingham man has been arrested and charged with capital murder after police say he fatally shot a motorist whose vehicle crashed into a home in the Ensley community.
According to the Birmingham Police Department, Jeffery Demon Matthews, 27, has been charged with Capital Murder in the death of Randy Rivers, 62.
The shooting occurred on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in the 1300 block of 47th Street.
Police said officers were alerted to the incident after receiving a ShotSpotter notification from the area.
When officers arrived, they found a vehicle that had crashed into a residence. Inside the vehicle was Rivers, who was unresponsive and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel responded and pronounced Rivers dead at the scene.
Victim Shot While Driving
According to investigators, preliminary evidence indicates Rivers was driving along 47th Street when an unknown suspect fired multiple shots into his vehicle.
After being struck by gunfire, Rivers lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a nearby home.
Police have not said whether the shooting was targeted or the result of a road rage incident.
Suspect Captured Within Hours
Less than three hours after the shooting, members of the Birmingham Police Department’s Violent Crime Apprehension Team (VCAT) located and arrested Matthews in the 2500 block of Mayfield Avenue Southwest.
He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Birmingham Jail at approximately 8:55 p.m.
On Aug. 10, Matthews was transferred to the Jefferson County Jail, where he remains held without bond.
The homicide investigation remains ongoing.