Antoine Deonta Ester

A father’s life was tragically cut short in a moment of violence that unfolded inside a Birmingham, Alabama, apartment on the afternoon of Thursday, May 18, 2023. Antoine Deonta Ester, a 26-year-old Black man, was shot and killed, leaving behind his children and a community to grapple with a senseless loss. His death, recorded as the 43rd homicide in Birmingham that year, was not a random act but the culmination of an argument among people who knew one another.

The incident occurred around 2:25 p.m. at the Forest Hills Village apartment complex, located in the 2600 block of Tempest Drive in the city's Powderly community. Officers from the Birmingham Police Department’s West Precinct were dispatched to the scene following a report of a person shot. Upon arrival, they found a distressing scene inside one of the units. A large group of people had been present when a dispute erupted. The argument quickly and fatally escalated, ending with gunfire.

Officers discovered Antoine inside the apartment, unresponsive and suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics with the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced deceased. A preliminary investigation suggested that Antoine and the person who shot him were acquaintances. Adding to the tragedy of the event, police confirmed that a small child was present in the apartment during the altercation and shooting. The child, for whom Antoine was the parent and legal guardian, was thankfully not physically injured.

The Birmingham Police Department's homicide detectives launched a thorough investigation. Their work led them to identify a suspect in the killing: Antonio Deuntra Pendelton Jr. As investigators gathered evidence, the case was prepared for presentation to a Jefferson County grand jury.

In April 2024, nearly a year after Antoine's death, the grand jury handed down an indictment against Pendelton, who was 19 years old. The charge was not merely murder, but capital murder. The charge was elevated because the killing was committed in the presence of a child under the age of 14, a child for whom Antoine Ester was the legal guardian. The indictment, which was made public in May 2024, alleged that Pendelton had intentionally caused Antoine’s death.

Following the indictment, Antonio Deuntra Pendelton Jr. was arrested and booked into the Jefferson County Jail. Citing the gravity of the capital murder charge, he was ordered to be held without bond to await trial. As of May 2024, the case against him was proceeding through the Alabama court system.

While the legal process moves forward, a family continues to mourn the loss of Antoine. Though few details about his life, work, or interests have been shared publicly, his role as a father to his children, including Antoine II and Ashtoine III, was a central part of his life. His funeral service was held on June 3, 2023, at Integrity Funeral Home in Hueytown, where loved ones gathered to say their final goodbyes. The circumstances of his death, particularly the fact that it happened in front of his child, have left a profound and heartbreaking mark on his family and the community.

The investigation remains technically open, and authorities have encouraged anyone with information to come forward. The Birmingham Police Department can be reached at 205-254-1764, and anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.