Cousins charged with capital murder in death of missing man found in Birmingham woods

Charges have been filed in the slaying of a 32-year-old found dead in a west Birmingham wooded area.

Juan Chapman, who had been missing since the weekend, died from a gunshot wound, the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office said Wednesday.

Birmingham police have charged Wilbert Reynolds Jr., 51, of Birmingham, and Dexter Jemison, 54, of Bessemer with capital murder. The suspects are cousins.

They were taken into custody by the department’s Crime Reduction Team at a west Birmingham home. Officer Truman Fitzgerald said they were arrested within hours of the discovery of Chapman’s body.

Detectives have identified the potential motive but are not releasing it at this time.

Fitzgerald said the charge is capital murder because Chapman was in a vehicle when he was killed.

Birmingham police on the scene of a homicide in the 2100 block of Carlos Avenue on Jan. 27, 2025.Carol Robinson

Family members of Chapman found him in the woods in the 2000 block of Carlos Avenue just before 3 p.m. Monday.

Chapman was reported missing to police by family earlier Monday. He had, however, been missing since the weekend and relatives had been out searching for him.

Roughly two dozen friends and relatives flocked to the crime scene, visibly distraught and emotional.

The suspects will be held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail.

Anyone with additional information is asked to call detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

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