ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, SportsCrime Stoppers Jan. 14: Searching for clues in cold case homicide

Crime Stoppers Jan. 14: Searching for clues in cold case homicide

This week's Crime Stoppers unsolved homicide report focuses on a cold case dating back more than eight years.

Someone killed a man outside the doorway to his apartment.  Witnesses provided some clues, but the killer still hasn't been caught.

Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper hopes someone is now willing to provide a tip to put that killer in jail.

From Chief Roper:

"Clearly, someone had a real grudge against Deandrea Powell.

Mr. Powell was 25 years old.  He was killed shortly after midnight on December 20, 2003.

Mr. Powell lived with his mother in some apartments along Hilltop Parkway near Arkadelphia Road.  An off-duty police officer who lived in the same building reported hearing two shots.  The officer found Mr. Powell lying in the breezeway, but the officer did not see the shooter.

A second witness reported hearing shots and looking out his window to see a person in a gray or white hooded sweatshirt running behind the building.

And a third witness, who was a security guard at the complex, said around the time of the shooting, a black Lincoln Town Car entered the complex.  The guard stopped the car, and asked the four men inside where they were going.  The driver said he was dropping someone off, and the guard said he saw the car leave a few minutes later.

There were no witnesses who actually saw the shooting.  But surely, in the years since this happened, word has gotten out about who killed Mr. Powell.

Consider what the witnesses said.  Think about what you've heard.  And let Crime Stoppers know what you know.

Remember, we will keep you anonymous.  Dial (205) 254-7777.  We'll give you a private code number, and that keeps you from having to give your name.

There's a cash reward if your tip leads to an arrest.  And finally, we can get justice for Mr. Powell and the family he left behind.

With Crime Stoppers, I'm Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper."

In addition to telephone tips, you can text a tip by texting the code 7777, along with your tip, to the word CRIMES.  Or, you can submit an encrypted tip by going to www.birminghamcrimestoppers.org and clicking on the "submit an online tip" link.

No matter which method you choose, you will remain anonymous.

The cash reward in this case is offered to the first person whose tip leads to an arrest.  Even if you receive the cash reward, you still will not have to give your name -- only the code number.

Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama is a partnership between local law enforcement, the Birmingham Business Alliance and ABC 33/40.  Together, our goal is to make our community a safer place to live and work.