In the communities of Jefferson County, Alabama, two lives were tragically cut short last week in separate shootings that have left families shattered and a community grappling for answers. Angelicca Amber Newton, a 29-year-old pregnant woman from Center Point, and Samy Alberta Estrada-Flores, a 35-year-old father from Birmingham, were identified by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office as the victims of these heartbreaking incidents. Their stories, marked by violence and loss, underscore the devastating ripple effects of gun violence in our neighborhoods.
The first tragedy unfolded in broad daylight on Thursday, just before 10:30 a.m., in the small town of Lipscomb. At the intersection of Fifth Street North and Sixth Avenue North, Angelicca Amber Newton’s life was stolen in a horrific act of domestic violence. Newton, who was expecting a child, was found inside a truck, her body riddled with gunshot wounds. The scene was chaotic as Lipscomb police responded to reports of a shooting, only to discover Newton lifeless at the scene. Authorities say she was targeted by someone she knew intimately—Alfred Lee Colvin III, a 32-year-old man from Bessemer, now charged with capital murder in her slaying. Colvin, who was allegedly driving the vehicle when he opened fire on Newton, was arrested and booked into the Jefferson County Jail by 5 p.m. Friday. He remains behind bars without bond, facing the weight of justice for a crime that claimed not only Newton’s life but also the promise of her unborn child.
Lipscomb Police Chief Jatavius Merritt revealed the chilling details of the incident, noting that Newton and Colvin were in a relationship. The motive behind this brutal act remains under investigation, but the loss of a young mother-to-be has left her family and community in mourning. Newton’s death, described as a domestic assault, is a stark reminder of the hidden dangers that can lurk within personal relationships, leaving those who loved her to grapple with unimaginable grief.
Just hours later, in the predawn darkness of Friday, another life was taken in a separate shooting that shook the 4000 block of Pinson Valley Parkway. At 12:19 a.m., Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies raced to the scene after reports of gunfire. There, they found Samy Alberta Estrada-Flores, a Birmingham resident and father, critically wounded. Despite the swift response of Center Point Fire and Rescue Service, Estrada-Flores was pronounced dead just four minutes later, at 12:23 a.m. A 34-year-old woman, caught in the same hail of bullets, was also injured and rushed to UAB Hospital. Thankfully, she is expected to survive, but her recovery will be overshadowed by the loss of Estrada-Flores, whose life was extinguished in an instant.
Sheriff’s spokesman Henry Irby shared that the investigation into Estrada-Flores’ death is ongoing, with no arrests announced as of yet. The circumstances surrounding this second shooting remain murky, leaving investigators to piece together the events that led to such a violent outcome. Was it a targeted attack, a random act, or something else entirely? The answers remain elusive, but authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward. Sheriff’s investigators can be reached at 205-325-1450, or tips can be shared anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
These two shootings, occurring within hours of each other, have cast a somber shadow over Jefferson County. Angelicca Amber Newton, a young woman on the cusp of motherhood, and Samy Alberta Estrada-Flores, a man whose life touched those around him, were taken too soon. Their deaths leave behind grieving families, unanswered questions, and a community searching for ways to heal. As investigators work tirelessly to uncover the truth, the people of Jefferson County are left to reflect on the fragility of life and the urgent need to address the violence that continues to claim innocent lives.
