[AL] Stephanie Keller charged with murder of her cop husband, VHPD Officer Kimbrel.

Stephanie Nicole Keller has been charged with the murder of her husband, Vestavia Hills Alabama Police Officer Andrew "Andy" Wade Kimbrel. Gardendale Police Chief Mike Walker said that Thursday night, a 911 call was received and police were on the scene within 5 minutes. Stephanie also called 911 to report the shooting.

...“The incident was domestic in nature,” Gardendale Police Chief Mike Walker said... Some are alleging that Kimbrel had previously “hit her”...

Andrew "Andy" Wade Kimbrel

March 29, 1977 – May 3, 2019

...Andy Kimbrel had been trained in Advanced Rapid Response to Terrorism/Active Shooter incidents, Tactical Combat Casualty Care, Crisis/Hostage Negotiations, a Certified Crime Scene investigator and studied Incident Response to Terrorist Bombing...

VESTAVIA HILLS POLICE OFFICER KILLED IN DOMESTIC INCIDENT THURSDAY NIGHT; WIFE CHARGED
May 3, 2019
[Excerpts] Police have charged the wife of a Vestavia Hills police officer in his shooting death... Gardendale Police Chief Mike Walker gave few details. Vestavia Hills later identified the officer as Andrew Wade Kimbrel, 42. He went by Andy. He left behind two children...Stephanie Nicole Keller, 43, was charged Friday with murder... Before coming to Vestavia Hills, Kimbrel worked at the Fairfield Police Department. "Andy was loved by his fellow officers and the community which he chose to protect. The Vestavia Hills Police Department extends our gratitude to the community for their outpouring of support during this difficult time," Capt. Johnny Evans said... This is the second Vestavia Hills police officer to die in the past two years. In November 2017, a Vestavia Hills officer died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head while on-duty. That officer was Robert “Bobby” Hancock... Kimbrel was shot and taken to UAB Hospital where he died early this morning... “The incident was domestic in nature,” Walker said... [Full article here]

ANDY KIMBREL: ALABAMA POLICE OFFICER KILLED IN DOMESTIC INCIDENT
May 3, 2019
[Excerpts] An Alabama police officer was shot and killed in his home in what investigators said was a domestic incident. Andrew Wade ‘Andy’ Kimbrel, 42, has been a police officer for nearly two decades. Gardendale police found the officer suffering from a gunshot wound when they arrived at his apartment in response to a 911 call just before 11 p.m. Thursday. He was rushed to a local emergency room but died not long after... Gardendale Police Chief Mike Walker said that at 10:57 p.m. Thursday night, a 911 call was received and police were on the scene within 5 minutes. They responded to a home at the Woodbrook Apartments complex and there discovered a 42-year old white male with a gunshot wound. He was transported to the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital’s emergency room. In the early hours of Friday morning, he was pronounced dead... On a police Facebook page, Kimbrel’s mother said the nature of the domestic doesn’t matter. “I am his mother,” wrote Renda Otis Kimbrel. “It doesn’t matter what type of domestic. My son is dead and that is all that matters.” Kimbrel, a Crisis & Hostage Negotiator, Among Myriad Other Law Enforcement Specialized Training, Had Been a Police Officer Since 2001. According to his LinkedIn, Kimbrel had been with the Vestavia Hills Police Department since 2002. Previously he’d been an officer with the Fairfield Police Department and the Blocton Police Department as a reserve officer. Kimbrel had been trained in Advanced Rapid Response to Terrorism/Active Shooter incidents, Tactical Combat Casualty Care, Crisis/Hostage Negotiations, a Certified Crime Scene investigator and studied Incident Response to Terrorist Bombing. He was a Fire Investigator and graduated from the Law Enforcement Academy in Tuscaloosa in 2001... [Full article here]

STEPHANIE NICOLE KELLER: 5 FAST FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW
May 6, 2019
[Excerpts] Police in Gardendale, Alabama have charged Stephanie Nicole Keller with the murder of her husband, [Vestavia Hills] police officer Andy Kimbrel... At a press conference Friday morning, Gardendale Police Chief Mike Walker said that at 10:57 p.m. Thursday night, a 911 call was received and police were on the scene within 5 minutes... In the early hours of Friday morning, he was pronounced dead... Keller had posted recently that she was prepared for a court battle, though it’s not clear to what she was referring. The couple had not posted images of each other on their respective Facebook pages lately though did in 2018... Keller’s Facebook page was temporarily shuttered. Kimbrel’s remains up for now. People have begun posting on Keller’s page. Vata Woods wrote, "Stephanie, don’t know what happened but l love you and praying for you"... Meanwhile, as Keller is being held on $100,000 bail and charged with murder, a number of people are coming to her defense and some have claimed that in the mugshot, she appears to have an injury to her mouth. Some are alleging that Kimbrel had previously “hit her.” In particular, a post from local media, includes many comments suggesting she was a victim of domestic violence. Charity Spearman wrote, “Prayers and Justice for Stephanie. There are two sides to every story and the media is definitely not getting her side. If he wasn’t a cop, she would have been put on a pedestal and most of y’all would have been singing her praises for defending herself against a wife beater. But he was a cop so… I just hope and pray the justice system ignores his career choice and looks into the facts. From a personal standpoint of the families, I’m on HER side.” Keller’s cousin Tammy Diveto posted this on Facebook. “For me….for now..I am going to believe that she had just cause, for her actions. SOME people who wear a uniform, will hide behind it. I am not speculating on anything. We don’t know, I do not know…. Until we do, she and her sweet boys will be in my prayers. *Prayers for Stephanie Keller. I mean NO disrespect for our men in blue as a whole.” [Full article here]

FUNERAL SET FOR VESTAVIA HILLS POLICE OFFICER SLAIN IN DOMESTIC DISPUTE
May 6, 2019
A Vestavia Hills police officer will be laid to rest Thursday, a week after he was shot to death in his Gardendale apartment. Andrew Wade “Andy” Kimbrel, 42, died early Friday... Authorities have not released any details about what led up to the deadly shooting, except to say it happened during an argument. Keller called 911 to report the shooting... Visitation for Kimbrel will be held on Wednesday, May 8, from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Southern Heritage Funeral Home on Cahaba Valley Road in Pelham. The funeral will be held Thursday, May 9, at Mountain Top Community Church on Centerview Drive in Vestavia Hills. There will be a police procession from Mountain Top back to Southern Heritage Thursday for a brief graveside service. Kimbrel’s family is asking that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Vestavia Hills Police Foundation in his memory. [Full article here]

VHPD statement:
“On May 3, 2019 the Vestavia Hills Police Department lost one of our own. ANDREW WADE KIMBREL, 42 of Gardendale, Alabama lost his life during a domestic incident at his residence. ANDY has served the City of Vestavia Hills since October of 2002 and he previously served with the Fairfield Police Department. During his service with Vestavia Hills Police Department Andy served as a patrol officer, school resource officer and evidence technician. ANDY was loved by his fellow officers and the community in which he chose to protect. The Vestavia Police Department extends our gratitude to the community for their outpouring of support during this difficult time. We would also like to extend our appreciation to the Gardendale Police Department for their professional courtesy. We extend our deepest sympathies to Andy’s family and friends. Funeral arrangements are still pending.”
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder state politics female perp self-defense alabama]