Alabama Man Laughs in Court After Killing Father and Shooting Pregnant Mother the Day Before She Gave Birth, Prosecutors Say
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA — A 46-year-old Alabama man who broke into a young couple’s home, killed a father, and shot his pregnant girlfriend the day before she gave birth has been sentenced to two life terms in prison — and showed no remorse, according to the victim’s family.
Prosecutors say Melvin Charles Morris was convicted of felony murder and first-degree assault in the 2020 killing of 27-year-old Devonta Reddick and the near-fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Sabrea Baylor, inside their Birmingham home.
Morning of Terror on Dogwood Lane
The violent home invasion took place on February 6, 2020, at the couple’s residence on Dogwood Lane, where Reddick, Baylor, and their 3-year-old son were asleep.
Around 6:30 a.m., Morris and at least one other suspect forced their way inside, according to investigators.
Reddick immediately charged at the intruders while Baylor grabbed a firearm. The suspects opened fire, striking her in the leg as she returned shots to defend herself.
“Where that b— at?” one of the attackers shouted while approaching, according to Baylor’s testimony.
The pregnant mother — just one day from giving birth — was shot multiple times but managed to fire back, hitting Morris in the neck before escaping with her child.
Father Killed Protecting His Family
When Birmingham Police arrived, they found Reddick unresponsive in the yard and later pronounced him dead at the scene.
Baylor survived after being rushed to a nearby hospital. She gave birth to her second child the very next day, authorities said.
Six months later, U.S. Marshals arrested Morris in Nashville, Tennessee, and returned him to Jefferson County to face charges of capital murder and attempted murder.
Another suspect, Cameron Dejuan Blanding, was arrested later that year and faces trial in June 2026 for his alleged role in the attack.
‘He Laughed in Our Faces,’ Survivor Tells Court
At Morris’s sentencing hearing this week, Baylor delivered a powerful victim impact statement, describing how Morris mocked her family throughout the trial.
“Mr. Morris laughed during the trial. He stared at me and showed no remorse,” Baylor said, according to AL.com. “He laughed at our family. He laughed in our faces.”
Judge Stephen Wallace of the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court sentenced Morris to two consecutive life sentences under Alabama’s habitual offender law, citing his two prior felony convictions.
A Father Remembered
Reddick’s sister, Karlisha Reddick, remembered her brother as a joyful and devoted father who always brought people together.
“He was a very sweet person, always laughing and making jokes,” she said. “He was the one who kept the family close — a really good man.”
Prosecutors said Morris will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.
This devastating case left a Birmingham family forever changed, but the mother who survived says she hopes her strength and her children’s survival will honor the man who died protecting them. For more updates on major crime and justice stories, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.