DeVarius Newby

DeVarius L. Newby, a man remembered by friends as being “cool, calm and collect,” was a 33-year-old resident of Birmingham, Alabama. He was born on October 4, 1982, and was a member of the local community where his sudden death was met with shock and sorrow. Known to some by the nickname "Blackie," his memory is preserved by loved ones who shared messages of love and remembrance, with one writing, "you will be truly missed." Friends and family were left to mourn their unexpected loss, gathering for his funeral service at the New Rising Star Baptist Church on Saturday, January 16, 2016, before he was laid to rest at Zion Memorial Gardens.

The new year had just begun when DeVarius Newby’s life was tragically cut short. In the cold, early hours of Sunday, January 10, 2016, violence shattered the quiet of a Birmingham neighborhood. At approximately 12:30 a.m., North Precinct officers from the Birmingham Police Department were dispatched to the 1100 block of 15th Street North after receiving a report of a person shot. The area, part of the city's Druid Hills neighborhood, became the scene of a grim discovery.

When officers arrived, they found DeVarius Newby suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Paramedics were called to the scene and worked to save him, but his injuries were too severe. Newby was pronounced dead at the location, becoming the city's third homicide victim of the year. The Birmingham Police Department immediately secured the area and launched a homicide investigation into the violent death.

Detectives from the BPD Homicide Unit began to process the scene for evidence. Their initial investigation indicated that some kind of altercation had occurred just before the shooting. The ground told part of the story; investigators found approximately 15 shell casings scattered at the scene, suggesting a chaotic and intense confrontation had taken place. As they canvassed the area and spoke with potential witnesses, detectives were told that the location was known for illicit activity, though they did not immediately confirm if this was connected to the fatal shooting.

In the days that followed, the Birmingham Police Department’s Homicide Unit continued its work to piece together the sequence of events that led to Newby's death. With no suspect immediately identified or in custody, the department turned to the public for help. They urged anyone with knowledge of the shooting, the preceding altercation, or any other relevant details to come forward and contact detectives, providing the Homicide Unit's direct phone number.

Although public records and subsequent news reports have not detailed the specifics of an arrest or the legal proceedings that followed, the case for DeVarius Newby is officially recorded as solved. This indicates that law enforcement identified and processed the individual or individuals responsible for his death, bringing the investigation to a close. The specific outcome, whether it involved a conviction, a plea, or another resolution, has not been publicly disclosed.

Years after his death, the loss of DeVarius Newby is still felt by his family and friends. While the path to justice in his case has not been publicly detailed, the official resolution of the investigation provides a measure of closure. The case stands as a testament to the investigative work of the Birmingham Police Department, which handled the inquiry from the initial emergency call to its ultimate conclusion.