Anthony Edward Lett

An afternoon of illegal street racing on the outskirts of Birmingham, Alabama, descended into chaos and bloodshed, ending the life of a 36-year-old man from Huntsville. Anthony Edward Lett, a male organizer of the January 13, 2008, event, was shot and killed during a heated dispute over prize money in the wake of an earlier tragedy at the same gathering. Known to friends and family, Anthony was a father and a respected figure in the street racing community, which made his violent death all the more shocking to those who knew him.

The races were held that Sunday on a stretch of Republic Boulevard near Avenue W in the city's Pratt community, a location known for such clandestine events. The day had already turned tragic around 4:30 p.m. when a spectator, 29-year-old Lonnie King of Birmingham, was struck and killed by one of the racing cars as he was reportedly videotaping a race. In the confusion and turmoil that followed, an argument broke out concerning the race purse, a sum reported by witnesses to be between $10,000 and $20,000. Anthony Lett, as an organizer, was holding the cash. It was during this confrontation that a single gunshot rang out, and Lett fell to the ground, critically wounded.

In the immediate aftermath, Lett was not aided by emergency services called to the scene. Instead, he was put into a private vehicle by a man from Florida and driven to UAB Hospital. He was left at the emergency room entrance, where he ultimately died from the gunshot wound. Birmingham Police investigators, led by Sergeant Scott Thurmond, were faced with a complex scene and conflicting initial reports. Some early rumors suggested the shooting was related to a dispute over getting medical help for Lonnie King, the first victim. However, detectives quickly determined that the motive was robbery, directly related to the large sum of money Lett was holding.

The investigation into Lett's murder swiftly crossed state lines. Witnesses identified the shooter as Ladipo Chad Bethea, then 29, of Gretna, Florida. The evidence indicated that Bethea had driven Lett to the hospital after shooting him. Within weeks of the killing, the Birmingham Police Department secured a capital murder warrant for his arrest. Bethea was located and taken into custody in Florida. After facing legal proceedings regarding his extradition, he was returned to Jefferson County, Alabama, to stand trial for his role in Lett's death. Meanwhile, the drivers involved in the crash that killed Lonnie King were separately charged with manslaughter in that case.

More than five years after the deadly incident, in May 2013, Ladipo Chad Bethea's trial began in a Jefferson County courtroom. Over several days, prosecutors presented evidence and witness testimony painting a picture of the chaotic events at the drag race. Witnesses testified that in the moments after the first death, Bethea confronted Lett, demanding the purse money. When Lett refused, Bethea shot him. The defense argued for a lesser charge, but after deliberation, the jury found Bethea guilty of the capital murder of Anthony Edward Lett.

Following the conviction, Ladipo Bethea was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the only possible sentence other than the death penalty. The verdict brought a definitive legal conclusion to a homicide investigation that spanned half a decade. The case is officially considered solved, with the perpetrator tried, convicted, and sentenced for the murder. Court records show that in the years since his conviction, Bethea has filed multiple appeals challenging the verdict and his sentence, but the state's higher courts have consistently upheld the original finding. As of early 2025, he continues to serve his life sentence in the Alabama Department of Corrections.