James Edward White

James Edward White, a 45-year-old Black man described as trustworthy, quiet, and devoted to his family, was born in Birmingham, Alabama, to Ms. Cheryl White. Known to some by the nickname "Skeet," he attended Oliver Elementary School and Shades Valley High School. His life was cut short in the summer of 2024.

On the morning of Monday, August 12, 2024, a dispute unfolded in the parking lot of the Anchor Motel in East Birmingham. Just after 9:30 a.m., officers from the Birmingham Police Department responded to a call at the motel, located in the 8400 block of 1st Avenue North. They arrived to find James White unresponsive and suffering from a gunshot wound. A witness at the scene attempted to perform lifesaving measures before emergency services arrived. Mr. White was transported to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators determined that the shooting stemmed from a fight between Mr. White and another man in the motel parking lot. During the altercation, the other man allegedly fired a gun, striking Mr. White, and then fled the scene in a vehicle. Police quickly developed a person of interest in the case.

Later that same day, officers with the Birmingham Police Department's Crime Reduction Team and Narcotics Unit located and arrested a suspect. The man was identified as 44-year-old Noel Ashford. Authorities subsequently charged Ashford with murder in connection with the death of James White.

Following his arrest, Noel Ashford was booked into the Jefferson County Jail, where he is being held without bond. As of August 2024, the case is proceeding through the court system.