Ellis Lewis Embry was a 66-year-old Black man living in Birmingham, Alabama, in the summer of 2021. His life was tragically cut short in a violent act that also claimed the life of another man, leaving a community in search of answers that have yet to come.
On the afternoon of Thursday, August 5, 2021, the quiet of a residential neighborhood was broken by the sound of gunfire. Around 1 p.m., Birmingham Police Department officers were dispatched to a home in the 1000 block of 42nd Place North following a report of a person shot. When they arrived, they entered the residence and made a grim discovery.
Inside the home, officers found Mr. Embry in a hallway, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. As they continued to search the property, they located a second victim, 49-year-old Timothy Lashawn Erby, also of Birmingham, in the kitchen. He too had been fatally shot. Personnel from Birmingham Fire and Rescue arrived at the scene and pronounced both Mr. Embry and Mr.
Erby deceased. The discovery launched a double homicide investigation into the two men's deaths.
The Birmingham Police Department’s Homicide Unit took charge of the case, beginning the painstaking process of collecting evidence and seeking to understand the events that led to the two deaths. Detectives canvassed the area and appealed to the public for assistance, but in the immediate aftermath, no suspects were identified, and no arrests were made. The case quickly grew cold, leaving the families of both victims without closure or justice.
As the investigation continued without a breakthrough, law enforcement agencies sought to generate new leads by publicizing the case. Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama highlighted the unsolved double homicide, urging anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward. They emphasized that tipsters could remain anonymous and that information leading to the arrest and charging of a suspect could result in a cash reward. The Birmingham Police Department repeatedly asked for public assistance, providing contact numbers for the homicide unit and the Crime Stoppers tip line.
Despite these efforts, years have passed, and the case remains unsolved. As of late 2023, no arrests have been made, and authorities have not publicly named any persons of interest or suspects. The motive behind the killings remains unclear. The investigation into the deaths of Ellis Lewis Embry and Timothy Lashawn Erby is ongoing, but the trail has gone cold.
The families and loved ones of both men have been left to grapple with the profound loss and the lingering uncertainty surrounding their deaths. The case serves as a somber reminder of the toll of gun violence in the city. Authorities continue to ask for help from the community, holding out hope that a crucial piece of information will emerge. Anyone with information pertaining to the case is urged to contact the Birmingham Police Department Homicide Unit at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
