A man has been arrested and charged with murder after he allegedly fatally shot his girlfriend, a 21-year-old student at Alabama State University. Law enforcement are calling it a domestic violence incident. Rogers McCloud Jr., 20, is currently being held without bond at Montgomery County Detention Facility in Alabama.

McCloud was arrested after allegedly shooting Gennia Grimes on March 27. Police answered a call of a person being shot on on U.S. 80 East in the Waugh community of Pike Road in Montgomery, according to The Montgomery Advertiser. Grimes was taken to the hospital in critical condition and died from her wounds.

What happened to Gennia Grimes?

“This case involves domestic violence where a young, innocent woman was murdered at the hands of her boyfriend,” assistant chief Wesley Richerson said. “To protect the integrity of the case, we have not publicly discussed the details of this investigation. However, please do not confuse our silence within action. We have been meticulously working to gather evidence and to determine the facts surrounding Gennia’s death.”

A warrant for McCloud’s arrest was issued on April 4 after days of investigating the incident. He was arrested the same day and is currently being held without bond.

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Who was Gennia Grimes?

Grimes was a senior student at Alabama State University, where she was a member of the Honey Beez dance team. At 21-year-old, she was set to graduate in August 2025 and had aspirations of becoming a lawyer. Grimes was also the mother of a 9-month-old, whom she shared with McCloud, family members told FOX 5.

“Gennia was full of life, love, and ambition. She was a dedicated mother, a bright student at Alabama State University, set to graduate in August 2025 with dreams of becoming a lawyer,” a GoFundMe page reads in part. “She was also a talented dancer with a passion for making a difference. She was the youngest in her family—their miracle baby—so full of kindness and grace.”

“Now, instead of celebrating her future, we are preparing to lay her to rest,” the page added. “Our family is raising funds to cover funeral expenses and support efforts to bring her 9-month-old baby home so he can say goodbye to his mother.”

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Alabama State University published a statement in remembrance of Grimes.

“We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all touched by her kindness and spirit,” the institution wrote, according to Black Enterprise. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones during this difficult time.”

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