From left: Ariel Jones, Demarchies Mincey and Jermiera Fowler (Mincey mugshot from the Birmingham Police Department; Crime scene photo from NBC Birmingham affiliate WVTM13; Jones and Fowler photos from their obituaries)
A 25-year-old man has been arrested in the killings of two women whose bodies were found shot and burned in separate cases in Alabama.
Demarchies Mincey was arrested in the deaths of Ariel Jones and Jermiera Fowler, both 31, according to a news release from the Birmingham Police Department.
Mincey was quickly identified as a suspect in Flowler’s death and police obtained two arrest warrants for him — murder and abuse of a corpse — on June 12.
He was arrested on June 22 by the U.S. Marshals in Stonecrest, Georgia, and was booked into the Dekalb County Jail for unrelated charges of cruelty to children in the first degree, aggravated assault and battery in Georgia and the warrants from Fowler’s case, officials said.
While investigating Fowler’s death, detectives identified Mincey as a suspect in the death of Jones, whose burned and shot body was discovered on April 18 in a vehicle.
Detectives obtained a capital murder warrant this week for Mincey’s arrest in the death of Jones. Police said the only commonality between the cases is that both victims are female, officials said in the news release without elaborating. The suspect is in the Dekalb County Jail awaiting extradition to Alabama.
Detectives have attempted to speak with Mincey, but he requested legal counsel, officials said.
“I think that helps, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t bring their loved one back,” Birmingham Police Department Chief Scott Thurmond said in a news conference Friday announcing the arrest. “That’s the most troubling part that there’s two young women that lost their lives in our city once again, and these families are hurting and will always be hurting. This probably helps, but this doesn’t give them the full closure of bringing their loved one back.”
Fowler had visible signs of trauma when her body was found in the 1000 block of Sellers Road. She had been reported missing on June 1 after having not been seen nor heard from since the day before.
She reportedly went to make a Facebook Marketplace purchase, but police said they couldn’t confirm whether this led to her death.
Police found Jones’ body on April 18 after a caller noticed a blue four-door sedan abandoned in a field for at least a day.
Jones’ mother, Anita Lacey, reacted to the arrest.
“I feel relieved that he’s off the streets, where he can’t hurt nobody else,” Lacey told NBC Birmingham affiliate WVTM 13. “I’m trying to prepare myself now to see him in court. I won’t really have the peace I need until I see him, and he sees my face, and I let him know what he took from us.”
Jones attended Warren Township School System in Indianapolis, Indiana, and later attended Parker High School in Birmingham, Alabama, her obituary said.
“Ariel enjoyed singing and dancing. She was the life of the party. Her smile and goofy personality would light up a room. Ariel enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. Special times for her were the holidays and her birthday. Ariel loved getting her hair and nails done. She also had a passion for helping others feel and look their best.”
Fowler was the mother of two and the oldest of eight siblings. She had a natural gift for leadership and a heart full of love, her obituary said.
“She was the kind of person who made everyone feel welcome and included, and her infectious energy and joy was contagious. Jermiera was an entrepreneur and a motivational speaker, inspiring others to follow their dreams and live life to the fullest. Her wisdom and guidance helped countless people find their way, and her legacy will live on through the lives she touched.”
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
