A chilling final text message sent by a murdered Alabama mother has become the key piece of evidence in solving her own killing.
Arkia ‘Kia’ Berry, 28, texted just one word – ‘Jaco’ – to a friend during her final breaths just moments before she was fatally shot in her car last summer alongside her 5-year-old son and boyfriend.
That single word would later lead investigators directly to her alleged killer, 25-year-old Jacorrian McGregor, whose nickname is ‘Jaco.’
He now faces capital murder charges in the shocking triple homicide.
Birmingham homicide Detective Jarvelius Tolliver testified in court on Thursday that Berry’s final message was essentially naming her killer from beyond the grave.
‘She texted his name right before she died,’ Tolliver told the judge, according to AL.com.
The horrifying crime took place on July 13, 2024, when police responded to what was initially reported as a car accident in Birmingham’s Echo Highlands neighborhood.
But officers quickly discovered a gruesome triple homicide scene.
Investigators recovered between 20 and 30 shell casings around the vehicle, which was riddled with bullet holes.
Berry was found slumped across the front wheel while her boyfriend was in the passenger seat and Landyn sat in the back directly behind his mother.
During the investigation, detectives also uncovered damning evidence on the suspect’s phones.
McGregor’s friends had sent him messages after the shooting, urging him to ‘lay low, stay out of sight, stay hidden,’ according to court testimony.
Security camera footage also captured a stolen green Kia near Berry’s vehicle around the time of the shooting.
The car that was later found burned in what appeared to be an attempt to destroy evidence.
Following the funeral, a nine-day period of official mourning—known as the novendiali—takes place.
During this time, cardinals gather in Rome for preliminary meetings ahead of the conclave, where the new pope will be elected. The conclave must begin between 15 and 20 days after the sede vacante—the declaration that the papal seat is vacant—though it may start earlier if the cardinals unanimously agree.
Cardinal-electors then move into a special residence within the Vatican, cut off from outside communication. When the conclave begins, they assemble in the Sistine Chapel for a series of secret ballots.
Each cardinal writes the name of their chosen candidate in disguised handwriting on a folded ballot card, which is then placed into a large chalice. A scrutineer reads each name aloud, and another cardinal threads the ballots together with a needle and thread.
Voting occurs four times a day until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The results of each vote are counted aloud and recorded by three designated cardinals.
If no candidate achieves the required majority, the ballots are burned in a special stove with chemicals that produce black smoke—signaling to the world that no pope has been elected yet.
McGregor wasn’t arrested until February 24, 2025, with assistance from the US Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force.
He is currently being held without bond in Jefferson County Jail.
A judge ruled Thursday there was sufficient evidence for the case to proceed.
It’s unclear what the relationship between the victim and suspect was exactly and what the motive for the attack was.
Family members described Berry as a loving and dedicated mother and hairstylist whose son was the center of her world.
Landyn played football and was just weeks away from starting kindergarten before the was brutal homicide.
