Hoover man charged with murder in shooting death of his mother at his apartment

A 23-year-old man was charged with murder today in the shooting death of his mother on Sunday.

Devarta Dedre Thomas was taken into custody after police responded to the shooting at the Alpine Village Apartments on Lorna Road Sunday afternoon and found Thomas's mother, 40-year-old Tawanda Denise Thomas, suffering from a gunshot wound. 

Tawanda Denise Thomas was taken to UAB Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. 

Devarta Thomas lived at Alpine Village Apartments, and his mother came over to convince him to "get a job, stop doing drugs and stop hanging out with undesirable friends," Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector said.

Police came to the apartment following a hang-up 911 call. Detectives determined Thomas shot his mother after a verbal argument escalated. Police report he retrieved a shotgun from another room during the argument.

"Their conversation got heated, and the son went into another room and returned with a shotgun," Rector said. "This should have just been a verbal argument, but he decided to go get a gun. It's senseless and tragic and should have never happened. The suspect made a horrible decision, and now lives are ruined forever."

The son was held for questioning and taken to the Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham this afternoon after formal charges were filed. His bond was set at $250,000.

"The Hoover Police Department asks that everyone please keep the Thomas family in their thoughts and prayers during this tragic time," Rector said.