Amir Landan Wilkerson, Jamie Valdez-Garcia Obituary, Death – Authorities in Tennessee have confirmed the identities of two young men from Alabama who were found shot to death earlier this week in a wooded area of Nashville. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department announced that the victims are 19-year-old Amir Landan Wilkerson and 18-year-old Jamie Valdez-Garcia, both residents of Alabaster, a city located just south of Birmingham.
The bodies of the two teens were discovered shortly before 2 p.m. on Monday. A local resident, who had been walking along a wooded trail, made the grim discovery on a section of land owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The area is situated between the Lincoya Bay Apartments and Percy Priest Lake, a popular recreational site in southeast Nashville.
When police arrived on the scene, they confirmed that both Wilkerson and Valdez-Garcia had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators quickly launched a homicide investigation into the deaths. The nature and extent of the wounds, along with the remote location where the bodies were found, suggest a targeted act of violence, although no motive has yet been confirmed.
Wilkerson was the first of the two victims to be identified. Authorities found his wallet at the scene, which allowed them to establish his identity on Tuesday. The following day, on Wednesday, police publicly identified Valdez-Garcia as the second victim.
According to officials, both young men are believed to have traveled from Alabaster to Nashville on Sunday, April 28 — the last day their families reported seeing or hearing from them. What prompted the two teens to make the approximately three-hour drive from Alabama to Tennessee remains unclear. Investigators are working to piece together their final movements and determine whether they had plans to meet someone in Nashville.
As of now, the police have not released information regarding any suspects or persons of interest. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are actively seeking leads that could explain the circumstances behind the teens’ deaths. No weapon has been recovered, and detectives are combing the area for any evidence that might help reconstruct what happened.
Law enforcement officials have urged the public to come forward with any relevant information. Crime Stoppers has issued a public appeal for tips, offering a cash reward of up to $5,000 for any information that leads to an arrest or significant development in the case. Tipsters can remain anonymous when calling 615-742-7463.
Back in Alabaster, the news of the deaths has shocked the local community. Friends, family members, and classmates of the two young men are mourning their loss and struggling to understand how such a tragedy could have occurred. Both teens were known in the community, and local residents have begun posting tributes and messages of condolence on social media.
Local school officials and community leaders in Alabaster are offering counseling services and support to those affected by the loss. Several people who knew Wilkerson and Valdez-Garcia have described them as polite, respectful, and full of potential. Their unexpected deaths have left many heartbroken and searching for answers.
The wooded area where the bodies were found is generally considered peaceful and is frequented by joggers, hikers, and residents from the nearby apartment complex. The incident has heightened concerns about safety in the area, and residents have been urged to stay alert and report any suspicious activity to the police.
Authorities say they are following several investigative leads but caution that it may take time to uncover the full story. They are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby areas, examining phone records, and speaking with the victims’ families, friends, and acquaintances in hopes of learning more about the teens’ reasons for traveling to Nashville.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies in both Tennessee and Alabama are working together on the case. The cross-state nature of the incident has prompted increased coordination between local police in Nashville and officials in Alabaster, where the teens lived and were last seen.
The investigation has now entered a critical phase, as detectives work to establish a timeline of events and determine whether the teens may have been lured to the area or were targeted by someone they knew. At the moment, police are not ruling out any possibilities.
The families of Wilkerson and Valdez-Garcia have not yet spoken publicly about the case, but sources close to them say they are devastated and are pleading with anyone who may know something to come forward. They hope the reward and media attention will encourage someone to share information that could help solve the case.
This double homicide has not only shaken two families but also brought renewed attention to the risks young people face, particularly when traveling out of town. As the community waits for answers, the priority for law enforcement remains finding out who committed these killings — and why.
Anyone who has seen anything suspicious in the area of Lincoya Bay Apartments or Percy Priest Lake around the time of the murders, or who may know more about the teens’ plans in Nashville, is encouraged to reach out to authorities. Every piece of information, no matter how small it may seem, could prove essential in bringing justice for Amir Wilkerson and Jamie Valdez-Garcia.