PLEASANT GROVE, AL — A pre-dawn domestic dispute turned deadly Monday when 21-year-old Montease Yvonne Booker was fatally shot inside a 7th Place residence, marking another tragic loss to intimate partner violence in Jefferson County. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed Booker’s death after Pleasant Grove police responded to the 1300 block around 5:21 a.m., where they found the Birmingham resident suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.
Officers encountered 31-year-old Devin Jamar Johnson standing in the home’s front yard, with a firearm visible on a nearby vehicle’s roof. Witnesses reported hearing a violent argument erupt before the single gunshot that claimed Booker’s life. Johnson, who has a documented history of domestic violence arrests, was immediately taken into custody and remains held without bond at the Pleasant Grove City Jail awaiting formal charges from the Bessemer Cutoff District Attorney’s Office.
The tragedy has devastated Booker’s Birmingham neighborhood, where the young mother worked at a daycare center and was saving to establish a stable home for her two-year-old daughter. “She had just enrolled in nursing classes—this was supposed to be her fresh start,” said tearful cousin Latoya Reynolds, arranging stuffed animals at a growing sidewalk memorial. Community members plan a candlelight vigil Friday evening to honor Booker’s memory and call for action against domestic violence.
Forensic teams spent hours processing the crime scene, documenting bullet trajectories and collecting the recovered firearm for ballistic testing. Court records reveal Johnson faced prior restraining orders from previous partners, raising questions about how he retained access to weapons. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s domestic violence unit is reviewing whether red flag laws could have prevented this tragedy.
As Booker’s family prepares funeral arrangements through Bushelon Funeral Home, domestic violence advocates emphasize the warning signs often preceding such tragedies. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports Alabama averages 42 intimate partner homicides annually, with firearms used in nearly 70% of cases.
Authorities urge anyone experiencing domestic violence to contact the 24/7 National Hotline at 800-799-SAFE. Meanwhile, Booker’s coworkers have established a GoFundMe to support her orphaned daughter, remembering the victim as “the teacher who gave the best hugs” at their daycare center.
