Three people died in a double murder-suicide early Thursday in Tuscaloosa County, including an 8-year-old boy.
The sheriff’s office was dispatched at 3 a.m. to a shooting call at Hinton Place in the 8700 block of Charolais Drive. Once on the scene, said Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy, deputies made contact with several witnesses who told them 34-year-old Darrin Lamar Patton Jr. had possibly shot his girlfriend inside the home during a domestic argument.
Kennedy said the witnesses had fled the residence before lawmen arrived and reported that Patton, his girlfriend and her son were still inside.
No contact was able to be made with anyone inside the home. The sheriff’s office tactical unit was called out and made entry into the apartment.
Once inside, deputies found Derika Shanice McGhee, 29, and 8-year-old Aiden Carter Williams, both dead. Patton, who was not Aiden’s father, also was dead on the scene.
“All signs point to the suspect having killed both victims and then himself,’’ Kennedy said. “We ask that the privacy of the families involved be respected during this terrible and tragic event.”
Tuscaloosa Batmen Baseball, Aiden’s youth league, shared photos of Aiden with AL.com and posted this on Facebook:
“Our Batmen family has received devastating news this morning. Our #27, forever a part of our Batmen family. You were one of a kind. Your laugh was contagious and would light up any room. On the ball field, you were top notch. You had so much ahead of you.
Please, please join us in prayer. For our ball family, for our young boys as they deal with the loss of a best friend and teammate at such a young age, and for the entire family of Aiden as they navigate the days ahead. Speechless and numb this morning.. but thankful for a God who heals all wounds, calms all worries, carries all our struggles, and wipes every tear as we cry them.”
McGhee’s cousin, De’Metria Gipson, said the family is devastated by the tragic deaths.
“Derika and Aiden both will be missed tremendously. Derika could brighten anyone’s mood with her sense of humor and her oh-so-quirky personality,’' Gipson said.
“Aiden was literally an heaven sent child. He was the most sweetest child you’d ever meet,’' she said. “His presence was so calm and loving even if you didn’t know him, you’d want to. And he loved his mommy so much, and he was her everything. I’m happy they’re still together.”
The deaths of McGhee and Aiden are the first two homicides of 2022 in Tuscaloosa County.
Last year, the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit investigated 22 homicides countywide. Of those, 19 have been closed by arrest, two are being sent to the grand jury for review of potential charges and one remains open – the slaying of Travoris Sheppard on Oct. 19.
Two of last year’s homicides happened in Northport, four happened in unincorporated Tuscaloosa County and 16 happened in the City of Tuscaloosa.
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