Capital Murder Charges Filed Following Senseless Double Homicide in Irondale

IRONDALE, Ala. - A Birmingham suburb was rocked late Sunday evening by gunfire that claimed the lives of Alexis Josephine Coates and Andrew David Cole.

The Irondale Police Department, in coordination with state and federal agencies, have apprehend a 23-year-old convicted felon from Birmingham-.Laderrick Landen Broadnax. Mr. Broadnax was recently released following an attempted murder conviction for a previous shooting. That victim survived, Mr. Cole and Ms. Coates did not. He is now facing capital murder charges.

The shootings occurred on Stonewall Drive on the night of Sunday, July 12, 2026. Around 9:45 p.m., Irondale police officers responded to multiple reports of gunfire coming from a residence in the 700 block of Stonewall Drive.

Upon arriving at the scene, responding officers discovered two victims suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the rapid response of local emergency medical personnel and immediate life-saving efforts, both victims succumbed to their injuries. The female victim, identified as 32-year-old Alexis Josephine Coates of Birmingham, was tragically pronounced dead at the scene at 10:26 p.m. The male victim, 33-year-old Andrew David Cole of Huntsville, Texas, was rushed by paramedics to UAB Hospital. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at 10:57 p.m.

The suspect was apprehended in Talladega County. Following a intense, 24-hour investigation, authorities identified 23-year-old Laderrick Landen Broadnax of Birmingham as the sole suspect in the double homicide. On Monday night, July 13, 2026, a coordinated law enforcement effort tracked Broadnax to Talladega County. Investigators with the Irondale Police Department, working alongside the United States Marshals Service and the Talladega County Sheriff's Office, successfully took Broadnax into custody without further incident. Broadnax was transported back to Jefferson County and booked into the Jefferson County Jail. He is currently being held on capital murder charges with no bond. Official Statement: "Based on the investigation, detectives have determined that Broadnax acted alone, and the Irondale Police Department is not seeking any additional suspects in connection with this case," Irondale police officials stated in an official release, assuring the public that there is "no ongoing threat to the community related to this incident".

Criminal Past and Neighbor Concerns

As the community grapples with the loss, details regarding the suspect's criminal history and the residence where the shooting took place have begun to surface.

At the time of the shooting, Broadnax was out on probation. Court records indicate he had previously pleaded guilty to an attempted murder charge in Shelby County in 2022. Following his arrest on Monday, the Shelby County District Attorney's Office immediately filed a motion to revoke Broadnax's probation. Local residents on Stonewall Drive revealed that the home where the shooting occurred had been a source of ongoing concern. In the months leading up to the double homicide, neighbors reportedly submitted multiple noise complaints and reported suspected squatters living at the property. While Irondale Police Lieutenant Jason Hill noted that the department had previously responded to and believed they had addressed these disturbances, the underlying issues seemingly reemerged in the weeks preceding the tragedy. Lieutenant Hill lamented the outbreak of violence, calling it a "senseless, senseless crime" in a community that prides itself on looking out for one another. The investigation remains active as detectives work to establish a motive for the shooting.