Grand Jury Indicts Man in Birmingham Shooting Death
Ca'Darius Deonta Johnson, 20, is charged with intentional murder in the February killing of 54-year-old Lamodrick Michael Lovejoy in east Birmingham.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Violence
A Jefferson County grand jury indicted Ca'Darius Deonta Johnson on October 2, 2026, for the intentional murder of Lamodrick Michael Lovejoy, who was shot shortly before midnight on February 18 in the 300 block of 78th Street South. Johnson was previously charged with murder in February, held without bond, and bound over to circuit court in March.
Why it matters
The indictment moves the case forward in the circuit court process after a months-long procedural path that began with the February charge. It formally places the murder allegation before a grand jury ahead of any trial proceedings.
Johnson was charged with murder in February and held without bond, then waived a preliminary hearing and was bound over to circuit court in March. The October 2, 2026 grand jury indictment alleges he caused Lovejoy's death by shooting him with a firearm, and he has not yet entered a plea reflected in the extraction.
The players
Ca'Darius Deonta Johnson
Johnson is a 20-year-old man accused of fatally shooting Lamodrick Michael Lovejoy in east Birmingham.
Lamodrick Michael Lovejoy
Lovejoy was a 54-year-old man who died from a gunshot wound on 78th Street South in east Birmingham.
Birmingham Police Department
The Birmingham Police Department responded to a ShotSpotter alert and found Lovejoy with a gunshot wound.
The details
Birmingham police officers responding to a ShotSpotter alert found Lovejoy with a gunshot wound in the 300 block of 78th Street South. Surveillance video from two gas stations near Oporto Madrid Boulevard reportedly showed Johnson and Lovejoy together shortly before the shooting, and a court summary says another video showed a shot followed by Johnson leaving the scene.
Timeline
February 18: Lovejoy shot shortly before midnight on 78th Street South in east Birmingham.
February: Johnson charged with murder and held without bond.
March: Johnson waives preliminary hearing and is bound over to circuit court.
October 2, 2026: Jefferson County grand jury indictment is dated.
Legal Context
The case follows Alabama's standard felony pathway, in which a murder charge is typically resolved through a preliminary hearing or waiver, a bind-over to circuit court, and a grand jury indictment. Johnson's waiver of the preliminary hearing followed that sequence, placing the case before the Jefferson County grand jury for formal charging.
Residents of east Birmingham near 78th Street South and the Oporto Madrid Boulevard corridor may see continued court proceedings in this case in Jefferson County circuit court. The case reflects how a violent incident in a neighborhood moves through the local criminal justice system after charges are filed.
The takeaway
Felony murder cases in Alabama move through several formal stages before trial, including charging, bind-over, and grand jury review. Following the official court record is the most reliable way to track how the case develops.
Further reading
For more on local incidents, explore Violence coverage across the Birmingham area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WBMA.
