Tragedy in Northport: Joyce Reed Charged with Capital Murder in Death of Jermaine Witherspoon
Northport, AL — July 3, 2025
Authorities have arrested and charged a Tuscaloosa County woman with capital murder after a deadly shooting occurred Wednesday night in the Huntington Place neighborhood of Northport. The victim has been identified as Jermaine Dashun Witherspoon, a 28-year-old resident of Tuscaloosa.
According to the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit (TVCU), Northport Police were dispatched shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday to the 11400 block of Fairwood Avenue, where a man had reportedly been shot multiple times. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered Mr. Witherspoon critically wounded. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.
In the early morning hours Thursday, crime scene investigators and a tow truck remained on site, collecting evidence and processing the scene, which spanned into the early daylight hours. TVCU confirmed the incident as a homicide and quickly began piecing together the events that led to the fatal shooting.
Authorities identified the suspect as 47-year-old Joyce Reed, a resident of Tuscaloosa County. She was taken into custody and booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail early Thursday morning. Reed is now facing capital murder charges, as well as a separate charge for shooting into an occupied dwelling.
In a press release issued by Capt. Marty Sellers of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, officials stated that Reed and Witherspoon were known to each other and had reportedly been involved in an argument prior to the shooting.
“Mr. Witherspoon and the suspect, Joyce Reed, a 47-year-old Tuscaloosa County resident, were acquaintances who had been involved in a disagreement prior to the shooting,” Capt. Sellers said.
Investigators revealed that the confrontation escalated into violence when Reed allegedly shot Witherspoon while he sat inside her vehicle, while she was standing outside. Notably, authorities confirmed that there is no evidence to suggest Mr. Witherspoon was armed at the time of the incident.
“After speaking with witnesses and reviewing evidence, it was determined that as she stood outside her car, Ms. Reed shot Mr. Witherspoon as he sat inside her vehicle,” Capt. Sellers added. “There was no evidence that Mr. Witherspoon was armed prior to being shot.”
At this time, the exact nature of their relationship remains under investigation. Authorities have not publicly commented on what may have prompted the altercation or whether any previous incidents between the two had occurred prior to Wednesday night.
The capital murder charge against Reed suggests prosecutors believe there was intent and aggravating factors that could qualify the case for the harshest legal penalties under Alabama law, potentially including life in prison or the death penalty.
The case remains under active investigation by the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit in collaboration with the Northport Police Department. Officials said more information will be released as the investigation progresses.
Reed remains in custody at the Tuscaloosa County Jail. A bond hearing is expected in the coming days.