An Alabama woman who died during a fatal shooting that also took the life of her 5-year-old son texted the name of the man suspected of committing the crime in her final moments.

Arkia “Kia” Berry, 28, was one of three people in a car that was found riddled with bullets on July 13, 2024, along with her 5-year-old son Landyn Brooks and her 28-year-old boyfriend Eric Ashley Jr. According to reporting by local news outlet Al.com, Birmingham homicide Det. Jarvelius Tolliver appeared in court for a preliminary hearing related to the case and presented evidence from the investigation into the triple homicide.

Part of the evidence included text messages sent from the victims’ phones, including a cryptic one sent from Berry that seemed to name the suspect.

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Criminal Justice

Florida lawyer accused of stalking another attorney, texting rap songs with threatening lyrics

By Debra Cassens Weiss

February 10, 2025, 11:45 am CST

A lawyer in Coral Gables, Florida, was charged with aggravating stalking Thursday for allegedly harassing another attorney who was so concerned that he sent his employees home from his law office.

Florida lawyer Carlos L. Santi, 43, was arrested while holding pizza boxes carrying the name of the lawyer he allegedly targeted and the name of the lawyer’s wife, report Law.com, the Miami Herald and WPLG.

Santi is a lawyer with the Property & Casualty Law Group in Florida. The alleged victim, who is also a Coral Gables attorney, contacted police Feb. 4 about the alleged harassment.

The victim told police that Santi had shown up uninvited to his law office, had passed by his house while texting that he was there, had texted rap songs with threatening lyrics, and had mentioned the targeted attorney’s children, according to allegations in an arrest report and an affidavit cited by the news articles.

Video surveillance showed Santi walking past the other lawyer’s residence while staring at his home, according to the police report.

On Friday, Judge Mindy S. Glazer of the Miami-Dade circuit court issued a stay-away order to protect the allegedly targeted attorney and his family, the articles reported.

Santi was recently sanctioned in a civil case before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nicholas P. Mizell of the Middle District of Florida. Mizell chastised Santi in a condo association case for failing to file a disclosure and lead counsel designation, despite reminders.

In a Jan. 7 order, Mizell referred Santi to the court’s grievance committee to provide Santi counseling on improving his practices or to recommend appropriate remedial action. The judge also ordered Santi to pay $200 to the Southwest Florida Federal Court Bar Association to be used in “ongoing efforts to elevate the practice of law.”

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