In the early morning hours of July 5, 2026, 46-year-old Matthew James Burdett was found inside a vehicle in the driveway of a residence on Browning Road in Bessemer, Alabama, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead. Investigators say a dispute over money was the catalyst for the shooting.

A suspect was identified quickly. Fifty-seven-year-old Joey Thomas Reach, a white male, was taken into custody, questioned, and arrested; he was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on July 6, 2026. Reach has been charged with Capital Murder for the killing of a person in a vehicle and also faces Reckless Endangerment and Menacing - Intimidation counts. No conviction or sentence has been recorded.

The investigation into what led to the dispute and the events at the scene remains active. Does anyone have information about activity on Browning Road the morning of July 5 or about interactions between Burdett and Reach beforehand?