Media Release 145- Arrest Made in the Cornelia Lathan Homicide Investigation
Arrest Made in the Cornelia Lathan Homicide Investigation
The Birmingham Police Department reports detectives have obtained a warrant for an arrest in connection to the murder of 15-year-old Cornelia Lathan. She was shot and killed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
The suspect has been identified as:
Otis Lee Montgomery III, (27), B/M, of Birmingham, Alabama.
Within an hour of the murder, BPD officers located the suspect in the 6000 Block of 1st Avenue North; officers took him into custody.
Birmingham Police Detectives presented case information to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. After an assessment of the information, detectives obtained a warrant for Capital Murder (suspect shot into a residence), Attempted Murder, and Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Dwelling.
Otis Lee Montgomery III is in the custody of the Jefferson County Jail with No Bond.
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Media Release 145- Arrest Made in the Cornelia Lathan Homicide Investigation
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Homicide Investigation: 2 Juveniles Shot
(Media Release 141)
The Birmingham Police Department is conducting a homicide investigation. The incident occurred on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
The victim has been identified as:
Cornelia Rose Lathan, (15), B/F, of Birmingham, Alabama.
At around 12:20 p.m., North Precinct officers were dispatched to a report of Two Juveniles Shot at the Park Place apartment complex, located in the 500 Block of 25th Street North.
Officers arrived on the scene and then entered an apartment when they observed the victim and her 5-year-old brother suffering from a gunshot wound.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue (BFR) personnel arrived and pronounced the victim deceased.
BFR personnel transported the 5-year-old boy to Children’s Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The preliminary investigation suggests the victims were shot during a domestic disturbance. The alleged suspect is an ex-boyfriend of the victims’ mother.
Within an hour, BPD officers located the suspect in the 6000 Block of 1st Avenue North; officers took him into custody. Officers then transported him to BPD headquarters where BPD Homicide detectives interviewed him.
The suspect is currently being held at the Birmingham City Jail on a 48-Hour Felony Extension for Capital Murder.
Anyone with information on the case, please contact B.P.D.’s Homicide Unit @ 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers @ 205-254-7777.
Crime Stoppers pays tipsters cash rewards of up to $5,000 for their tips.
This is Birmingham’s 63 murder investigation of 2024 with 7 justifiable death rulings.
The Birmingham Police Department adheres to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting guidelines for all law enforcement agencies across the United States. FBI Uniform Crime Reporting guidelines do not require law enforcement agencies to include justifiable death investigations in the total homicide investigations counts.
**The information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed**
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