BIRMINGHAM, AL- Authorities with the Birmingham Police Department (BPD) announced that they are investigating a homicide that took place on December 31, 2024.
The victim has been identified as 68-year-old Earnest Christion Jr; a man who has been described as a devoted father and military veteran. He was fatally stabbed at a Birmingham home on New Year's Eve. According to Fox News, officers responded to the residence around 7:00 p.m. after receiving a 911 call.
Upon arriving on scene, they found Christion "unresponsive, suffering from what our officers believed to be a stab wound." He was transported to a nearby hospital where he died from his injuries.
Following Christion's death, police launched their homicide investigation, offering cash rewards of up to $5,000 for tips that would lead them to the suspect. On Saturday, January 4th, detectives secured arrest warrants for two suspects after receiving tips from the community.
Police have identified 60-year-old Zingy Gamble and her son, 40-year-old La Verne Gamble, as the suspects in Christion's fatal stabbing. According to authorities, Zingy was dating Christion at the time of the stabbing. Police said they believe she stabbed him over a dispute about money.
The mother and son were arrested and booked into the Jefferson County Jail. Zingy was booked on no bond, and La Verne was arrested for murder and booked on a $15,000 bond. Their upcoming court dates have not been released.
Christion, who was nicknamed "Rickey," is being remembered by family and friends as a "beacon of joy and love." In a statement, his family said, "Rickey was more than just a veteran; he was a beacon of joy and love. His sense of humor was infectious, and his ability to keep people smiling, even during difficult times, will always be remembered."
"Whether it was a funny joke, a lighthearted comment, or his unwavering positivity, Rickey had a special gift for making those around him feel good." The family said Christion was a family man to his core, saying, "His family was the center of his world, and he cherished each and every moment spent with them. His love for his children was unconditional and he took immense pride in being a devoted father."
In a separate incident, an Alabama mother has been charged with the death of her two children. According to Fox News, the mother, 22-year-old Wendy Pamela Bailey, has been arrested after allegedly notifying police that her missing one-year-old toddler had died and that his body was kept in a storage shed.
The discovery was made shortly after Bailey was involved in an accident that took the lives of 40-year-old Steven Bradley Collins and two-year-old Ryleigh Collins. At the time, a third child, one-year-old Kahleb Rowan Collins was unaccounted for.
The result of the investigation led investigators to believe that the one-year-old was not only deceased, but that he had been for some time. Evidence allegedly shows that the father, Steven Collins, had abused the boy and that the mother failed to intervene or report the abuse.
Investigators also believe that Bailey knew the body had been put in the storage shed. In the criminal complaint, photos allegedly show some of the abuse through images of the child bloodied and hanging from a rope and of him lying on the floor covered in bruises.
Officials said that the "body has not been recovered, although law enforcement teams are still actively gathering information and search for his remains."
The victim has been identified as 68-year-old Earnest Christion Jr; a man who has been described as a devoted father and military veteran. He was fatally stabbed at a Birmingham home on New Year's Eve. According to Fox News, officers responded to the residence around 7:00 p.m. after receiving a 911 call.
Upon arriving on scene, they found Christion "unresponsive, suffering from what our officers believed to be a stab wound." He was transported to a nearby hospital where he died from his injuries.
Following Christion's death, police launched their homicide investigation, offering cash rewards of up to $5,000 for tips that would lead them to the suspect. On Saturday, January 4th, detectives secured arrest warrants for two suspects after receiving tips from the community.
Police have identified 60-year-old Zingy Gamble and her son, 40-year-old La Verne Gamble, as the suspects in Christion's fatal stabbing. According to authorities, Zingy was dating Christion at the time of the stabbing. Police said they believe she stabbed him over a dispute about money.
The mother and son were arrested and booked into the Jefferson County Jail. Zingy was booked on no bond, and La Verne was arrested for murder and booked on a $15,000 bond. Their upcoming court dates have not been released.
Christion, who was nicknamed "Rickey," is being remembered by family and friends as a "beacon of joy and love." In a statement, his family said, "Rickey was more than just a veteran; he was a beacon of joy and love. His sense of humor was infectious, and his ability to keep people smiling, even during difficult times, will always be remembered."
"Whether it was a funny joke, a lighthearted comment, or his unwavering positivity, Rickey had a special gift for making those around him feel good." The family said Christion was a family man to his core, saying, "His family was the center of his world, and he cherished each and every moment spent with them. His love for his children was unconditional and he took immense pride in being a devoted father."
In a separate incident, an Alabama mother has been charged with the death of her two children. According to Fox News, the mother, 22-year-old Wendy Pamela Bailey, has been arrested after allegedly notifying police that her missing one-year-old toddler had died and that his body was kept in a storage shed.
The discovery was made shortly after Bailey was involved in an accident that took the lives of 40-year-old Steven Bradley Collins and two-year-old Ryleigh Collins. At the time, a third child, one-year-old Kahleb Rowan Collins was unaccounted for.
The result of the investigation led investigators to believe that the one-year-old was not only deceased, but that he had been for some time. Evidence allegedly shows that the father, Steven Collins, had abused the boy and that the mother failed to intervene or report the abuse.
Investigators also believe that Bailey knew the body had been put in the storage shed. In the criminal complaint, photos allegedly show some of the abuse through images of the child bloodied and hanging from a rope and of him lying on the floor covered in bruises.
Officials said that the "body has not been recovered, although law enforcement teams are still actively gathering information and search for his remains."
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