Birmingham, AL 01/12/2017
On October 26, 2016, just after 1:00 am deputies responded to a report of a person shot in the 1800 block of Centerbrook Lane in Center Point. They arrived to find 39-year-old Corey Merrida suffering from Multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
During the course of the investigation, Sheriff’s Detectives learned that Merrida had been staying at the address which is the apartment of a friend. About 1:00 am he went outside to get something out of a car.
While outside, two armed men and a woman forced their way into the front door looking for the man who rented the apartment. When the victim returned to the apartment through the backdoor he was shot. The three suspects fled the area.
The investigation revealed that one of the suspects, later identified as Carlesha Cox, believed that the man Merrida was staying with at the apartment had stolen money from her. She and the two male suspects came to the apartment to take it back.
33-year-old Carlesha Denise Cox of Center Point was arrested and charged with the murder of Corey Merrida on November 7, 2016. She was released on $100,000 bond pending trial.
The two other suspects involved have not yet been identified. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at 205-325-1450 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.