Crime
Teen Charged with Capital Murder in Fatal Shooting of Birmingham Engineering Student
Authorities have charged an 18-year-old Birmingham man in connection with the weekend shooting death of 22-year-old Xavier “Zay” Colvert, a mechanical engineering student.
Jeremy Dewayne Thomas has been formally charged with capital murder following an investigation that suggests Colvert was set up for a robbery.
Thomas was taken into custody on Thursday and booked into the Jefferson County Jail just before 5 p.m. He is being held without bond.
Birmingham police have not yet disclosed what specific evidence led them to identify Thomas as a suspect.
However, officers with the department’s Crime Reduction Team located him at a residence in west Birmingham.
Following a brief foot pursuit, they were able to apprehend him without further incident.
The fatal shooting occurred late Friday night in the 1400 block of 57th Street in Ensley.
Birmingham police responded to a report of gunfire at approximately 11:45 p.m.
Upon arrival, they found Colvert unresponsive inside his white pickup truck. At least six shell casings were discovered near the truck’s passenger door, indicating multiple shots were fired.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the scene and pronounced Colvert dead at 12:38 a.m. Saturday.
Colvert was the son of former Jefferson County Constable Robert Colvert III, who was himself a victim of gun violence during a 2018 shootout at his body shop in Woodlawn.
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing as authorities work to determine further details surrounding the incident.
Crime
Former Texas Worship Minister and Christian Musician Jon Sheptock Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A married Christian musician and former worship minister who once performed at a rally for former President Donald Trump has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse material (CSAM) charges, authorities confirmed.
According to officials, Jon Sheptock, a former minister at First Montgomery Baptist Church, was taken into custody on September 26 by detectives from the Montgomery County Constable’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit.
He faces charges of possession and production of child pornography following a detailed investigation into allegations of long-term misconduct.
The arrest was based on testimony from a woman who alleged that Sheptock stole a photograph of her approximately nine years ago, when she was 17 years old.
The victim told investigators that after sending her the image, Sheptock demanded explicit photographs and later sent her a video depicting a violent assault, warning that he “did not want that to happen to her.”
Court records further indicate that Sheptock showed the victim nude images of both adults and minors on his computer.
Investigators allege that the misconduct continued as recently as October 2023, when Sheptock reportedly sent a text message to the victim containing a nude image of young girls.
Before his arrest, Sheptock was widely known as a Christian recording artist and motivational speaker.
His now-deleted website biography stated that he was born without arms and with one leg shorter than the other, yet went on to describe himself as a “thriving Christian recording artist and speaker.” He has been married for 26 years and is the father of three daughters.
In a public statement, First Montgomery Baptist Church confirmed that Sheptock was immediately removed from all ministry responsibilities following his arrest.
The church emphasized that Sheptock did not hold any position involving direct contact with children, and there is no indication that minors associated with the church were involved or affected.
Sheptock gained wider public attention in January 2022, when he performed the national anthem at a rally for then-President Donald Trump, according to The Independent.
If convicted, Sheptock faces a potential prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the Montgomery County Constable’s Office Human Traffic.