Authorities today released the identities of five people killed early Sunday in a home in Ensley Highlands in one of the city's worst homicides on record.
Birmingham police spokesman Sgt. Johnny Williams Jr. identified the dead as Charles "C.J." Render, 21; Ronnie Render, 42; Jonathan Sanchez, 23; Jeffrey Davis Jr. 23; and Demetrius Sanford, 19. At least four of the five were shot execution-style in the head.
The killings happened inside the home at 3113 Avenue S.
It was first reported to police as a robbery in progress. Police responding to the robbery call found the bodies inside the house. They were pronounced dead on the scene.
At least two people had walked in during the attacks, but ran and got away.
Charles Render lived in the house with his mother, as did Jeffrey Davis. Three of the victims were related, and all were life-long friends.
Family members said the group had gathered there that night to play cards, something they did often.
Police on Sunday evening arrested two teenagers and a young adult, but released two of them Monday evening saying they would not be charged in connection with the mass killings. One of them, 18-year-old Markell Bell, was charged with an unrelated robbery and taken to the Jefferson County Jail.
The remaining suspect in custody is a 17-year-old Wenonah High School junior. He has not yet been formally charged.
Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper asked that anyone with information about the killings call police detectives at 254-1764 or Crimestoppers at 254-7777.
"Any amount of information, no matter how small they think it is, please relay that to us. We need the information more than we need the callers name," the chief said. "That one piece of information could be the missing piece of this puzzle."
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