Do you know who murdered Dedrick?
Dedrick Lamont Jordan Sr., a man remembered for his generous spirit and love for his family, was 38 years old when his life was taken in Birmingham, Alabama. Known to some by the nickname "1 Dolla," he was described as the kind of person who would give you the shirt off his back. His death left a permanent void in the lives of his loved ones, whose pain is still palpable in messages left years after his passing. One daughter wrote, "Da it’s been 6 years and I’m still heart...ion think ima be able too heal from that day I miss u so much everyday and wish u could be here."
The violence that silenced Dedrick’s future unfolded on the evening of Wednesday, March 22, 2017. Police were called to the city’s Ensley neighborhood, a community in the western section of Birmingham. There, in a grassy area in the 3000 block of Avenue S, they found Dedrick suffering from a critical gunshot wound to the head. First responders rushed him to a local hospital, but the injury was too severe. Dedrick Jordan died the following day, Thursday, March 23, 2017. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office officially ruled his death a homicide.
The initial investigation into the shooting was handled by the Birmingham Police Department. At the time, authorities reported that the shooting may have occurred during a gathering, but few other details were made public. Investigators worked the scene, but no suspect was immediately identified, and a motive for the killing was not released. In the days and weeks that followed, there were no announcements of any arrests, and the trail of clues appeared to grow cold.
Dedrick’s murder was one of 111 homicides recorded in Birmingham in 2017, a year that marked one of the city's highest totals in two decades. The city, with a population of just over 200,000 at the time, has long struggled with a high rate of gun violence. The majority of these violent crimes were concentrated in specific neighborhoods, creating communities caught in a cycle of loss and fear. Like many others that year, the investigation into who killed Dedrick Jordan stalled, leaving his family with unanswered questions and a profound sense of injustice.
On April 1, 2017, family and friends gathered at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church to say their final goodbyes to Dedrick before he was laid to rest at Dynasty Gardens cemetery. In an online memorial, loved ones shared their grief and memories. An uncle wrote, "i still can’t believe my uncle is gone man, i miss you unc stay strong up there." These messages paint a picture of a man deeply missed and a family still grappling with the sudden, violent end to his life.
Years have passed since Dedrick Jordan was killed, and his case remains one of Birmingham's many unsolved homicides. There have been no new leads or public updates from the Birmingham Police Department regarding persons of interest or arrests. The case is now considered cold, but for his family, the wound remains fresh. They continue to hope that someone with information will come forward to provide the answers they have been waiting for and bring a measure of justice for the man they loved. The questions of who shot Dedrick Jordan and why remain unanswered, a painful silence in the heart of his community.
