Derek Marcus Burpo, 51, was shot and killed while working as a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver in Birmingham on January 1, 2025. Family members called him Dink; he was the primary caregiver for his elderly mother and held degrees from Alabama State University and an MBA while working toward a Ph.D. Colleagues said he’d been a delivery driver for about two years and worked six days a week to support his family.

Police were dispatched to the 400 block of Roebuck Drive after calls about shots fired and a man lying unresponsive on a private roadway. Officers found Burpo with a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators believe the killing stemmed from a robbery that turned fatal, and it was reported as Birmingham’s first homicide of 2025. No arrests had been announced by the posting date.

Anyone who knew Derek, saw activity in the Roebuck Drive area that night, or has information that could help identify the person or persons responsible is asked to contact the Birmingham Police Department.