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Vershawn Edwards and Horayshio Fletcher

(Birmingham Police)

Two teens are charged with capital murder in the shooting death of a man found slain in the driveway of a southwest Birmingham home on Wednesday.

Birmingham police this evening identified the suspects Vershawn Edwards, 16, and Horayshio Fletcher, 17. Both are from Birmingham. They are charged in the killing of 46-year-old James Bennefield, and are being held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail.

Both teens have been previously arrested, and one of them is awaiting trial for violent crimes.

Bennefield's body was discovered Wednesday morning in the driveway of a home in the 1500 block of Lomb Avenue. The homeowner, Cleopatra Hogan, said she heard arguing and gunfire outside of house sometime between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Tuesday.

"I couldn't hear the conversation clearly. It was just a loud talking or a loud argument,'' she said. "I turned my lights on so the people could know that I was in the house and I didn't want anybody to try to break in on me."

She said she heard several shots fired, but didn't call the police because it didn't sound like it was close to her home. When she went to put some things in her car Wednesday, about 11:40 a.m., she found Bennefield on his side in her driveway with a gunshot wound to the chest area.

"I kind of believe he was trying to get some help after everything happened. He just fell in my driveway and he just died,'' she said.

Edwards and Fletcher were taken into custody late Wednesday afternoon after a short chase in southwest Birmingham. The pair was in Bennefield's 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche, which had been stolen after the shooting.

Birmingham police Lt. Sean Edwards said West Precinct Task Force officers spotted the suspects and the stolen truck on Powderly Avenue S.W. They tried to stop the truck on 24th Street S.W. but they refused. After a brief chase, the suspects crashed the pickup truck into a tree on Dorothy Drive in Cooper Green Park and were then taken into custody.

Edwards said they are not releasing a motive, or any additional information at this time.

The younger of the two- Edwards- is already awaiting trial for attempted murder and assault. Fletcher has a previous burglary arrest.

"This homicide shows the multiple issues we face with violent crime,'' said Birmingham police Chief A.C. Roper. "Here we have two young men, one out on bond for another crime, committing a senseless act of violence."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim's family and yet we cannot forget about the potential of these young men that has now been wasted",he said.

Bennefield's Beagle, Chance, was with him in the truck and remained missing overnight. The Greater Birmingham Humane Society on Thursday issued a lookout bulletin for the dog. Birmingham police Detective Spencer Justice, who works in the department's Family Services Division, and other detectives received information that Chance was spotted in northern Birmingham and hit the streets in search of him. Along with animal control officers, they were able to corner and catch Chance at the public housing community in Collegeville.

The detectives took Chance to the North Precinct, where they reunited him with Bennefield's widow, Benita Bennefield. "The guys that killed my husband, all they wanted was his truck,'' she said. "They just dumped my dog."

"I couldn't believe it was him. I just started thanking God,'' she said. "We always said that if something happened to either one of us, the other would always take care of Chance."