SUMITON, AL — A quiet community just outside Birmingham is in shock after a beloved father was gunned down in a Walmart parking lot. As investigators search for a motive, the victim’s heartbroken wife has shared the agonizing final words her husband spoke as he died by her side.
Stephen Morrow, 46, was shot on the evening of June 3, 2026, in Sumiton, Alabama. Police have since arrested an 18-year-old suspect and charged him with murder.
“I’m Dying and I Love You”
The shooting took place just before 9:00 PM at the Walmart shopping center off Highway 78. Morrow was rushed to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, where he was tragically pronounced dead.
Following the loss, his wife, Kayla Morrow, expressed her profound grief in a moving Facebook post, recounting the final moments she shared with her husband of one.
“Every time I close my eyes all I can see is the scene happening,” Kayla wrote. “His last words to me were: ‘Kayla, I’m dying and I love you.’ This is the hardest thing I have ever had to witness. Elijah [their son] took it really hard… Seeing his little face wrecked me.”
Morrow is remembered by family and friends as a dedicated family man who loved working on cars, going fishing, and above all else, spending time with his young son.
Nearby Workers Recall Hearing Gunshots
The sudden violence has deeply rattled the tightly-knit community of Sumiton, where violent crime is exceptionally rare.
Tristan Pedraza, an employee at Las Reyes 2, a Mexican restaurant located right next to the shooting scene, described the fear that swept through local workers. Pedraza noted that his manager’s wife witnessed the immediate aftermath when she returned to the restaurant to retrieve a forgotten phone.
“When she opened her door, she heard two gunshots and saw the man collapse on the other side of the parking lot,” Pedraza told. “Knowing that it can happen at any given moment with anyone is definitely scary.”
Teenager Arrested for Murder
On Sunday, the Sumiton Police Department announced the arrest of 18-year-old Timothy Braden Crawford in connection with the slaying.
Crawford is currently being held in custody and is scheduled for a formal bail hearing today, June 9, 2026, followed by a preliminary hearing on June 16.
Detectives have not yet disclosed whether Morrow and Crawford had any prior relationship or what specific interaction triggered the deadly confrontation in the parking lot.
Washington, D.C., Community Mourning 15-Year-Old Killed in Apparent Accidental Shooting
Morrow’s remains are currently undergoing an examination by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Huntsville to assist with the ongoing criminal case.
Community Rallies to Support the Family
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help Kayla navigate the financial burdens of sudden funeral costs and life as a single parent.
“Kayla is now left to navigate life as a single parent, facing not only overwhelming grief but also the financial challenges that come with such a sudden loss,” the page reads.
With public parking lot altercations increasingly escalating into fatal violence, do you believe large retail centers should be mandated to provide active, visible security patrols during late-night operating hours
Share your thoughts and extend your condolences to the Morrow family in the comments below.
