Christopher Lee Easter, 46, a longtime firefighter with Birmingham Fire and Rescue who had also served the McCalla Fire District for the last three years, was fatally shot on December 19, 2021, in Pelham, Alabama. An 18-year veteran of the service, Easter was remembered as an energetic presence in the local hockey scene and a devoted husband and father whose loss deeply affected two fire departments and the community.

Pelham Police investigators soon focused on a suspect with a family connection to the victim. A murder warrant was issued for 23-year-old Aristola Devinci Jenkins, identified as the boyfriend of Easter’s stepdaughter. Authorities did not immediately release a motive for the killing.

Anyone with information about Easter’s death or who knew him is urged to come forward.