26-year-old Hoover man attacked, killed with hammer; roommate charged with murder

Authorities today charged a 21-year-old Hoover man with murder, saying he attacked his 26-year-old apartment roommate with a hammer, killing him late Monday night.

Police received a call about the attack at the 5000 building of The Renaissance at Galleria apartment complex off John Hawkins Parkway and Galleria Woods Drive at 10:22 p.m. Monday.

A woman who was visiting the apartment and present when the attack began said 21-year-old Ledarius Jaquad Peterson attacked his roommate and then left in the victim's vehicle, police Lt. Keith Czeskleba said. Police said they found the victim dead in the bedroom of his apartment with severe injuries to his face, head and torso. Next to his body, they found a hammer which apparently had been used in the attack, Czeskleba said.

Hoover police issued an alert for the stolen vehicle to surrounding law enforcement agencies, and Bessemer police stopped Peterson in the vehicle on Academy Drive at 12:15 a.m. today. Peterson had blood on his clothing and was taken into custody without incident, police said.

He was taken to the Hoover Jail and expected to be transferred to the Jefferson County Jail today. He was charged with murder and theft of property, with bond set at $130,000.

The victim’s name is being withheld until his family can be notified.

Police are still investigating to determine what prompted the attack, Czeskleba said. The two men have lived at that apartment complex for less than a month, he said. The victim previously lived in another Hoover apartment complex, Czeskleba said. Peterson’s previous address was listed as being in Birmingham, but police are unsure how long the men have been roommates, he said.

This was the city of Hoover’s first homicide of the year. Police ask anyone who has information about the case to call Sgt. Clint Blackmon at 444-7582.

This article was updated at 9:36 a.m. on June 7 to correct the owner of the vehicle in which Peterson was arrested. The vehicle belonged to the man who was killed.