Alleged triggerman in killing of Israeli business owner at Birmingham warehouse now in custody

Alleged triggerman in killing of Israeli business owner at Birmingham warehouse now in custody

The second suspect wanted in the shooting death of a Birmingham business owner is now in custody.

Jaquies La’Montavious Hoffman, 20, of Tallassee, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail just before 4:30 p.m. today.

U.S. Marshals took him into custody this afternoon in Tallassee.

Hoffman is charged with capital murder in the slaying of 44-year-old Snir Lalum, a co-owner of Insta-Movers.

The other suspect, 23-year-old Sebastian Deonta Ross, of Hoover, has been jailed without bond since Aug. 25.

Ross appeared in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing, during which testimony alleged Hoffman was the triggerman in Lalum’s death.

Charging documents against Ross say Lalum, an Israeli citizen affectionately known by his friends in the U.S. as Sonny, was killed while Ross and Hoffman were stealing an undetermined amount of money.

Snir Lalum, 44, was shot to death Aug. 24, 2023, during a robbery at his company, Insta-Movers, in Birmingham. (Contributed)

Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Dain Stewart argued that Lalum was killed during a robbery, hence the capital murder charge.

Ross’s public defender, Sammie Shaw, contended his client was there seeking work, and there is no evidence a robbery was planned or took place.

Judge Katrina Ross said the case would be bound over to a grand jury, but she was considering whether suspect Ross should be charged with capital murder or murder.

Among new details unveiled in Tuesday’s preliminary hearing was that moments before and after Lalum’s slaying were caught on camera and that Hoffman was heard saying to suspect Ross, “I had to pop him.”

Birmingham homicide Det. James Glasgow was the only witness to testify in the hearing.

Testimony showed the ordeal began when a group of Lulum’s employees were at the nearby Circle K before going to the warehouse, which is on Walter Davis Drive in south Birmingham.

Ross approached one of the young Hispanic workers while they were in line to make a purchase.

Video from the store showed the worker taking Ross’s cell phone and entering his number into the phone because Ross was reportedly looking for work.

Sebastian Ross

Sebastian Ross (Jefferson County Jail)

The worker told Ross he would have to talk to the boss – Lalum – about getting a job.

Glasgow testified that Ross and Hoffman then followed the Insta-Movers workers to the warehouse. Ross was seen on surveillance video first talking to the workers and then to Lalum when he arrived at work.

Glasgow said Ross could be heard saying something to Lalum in Spanish, but that the phrase he said made no sense. Lalum is Israeli, not Hispanic.

The detective then said the suspect, who is from Hoover, was speaking with a Spanish accent when he talked with Lalum at length, apparently describing construction work he could do at Lalum’s house.

Eventually, Ross was asked to leave.

Authorities said Ross and Hoffman returned to the business moments later, and it was that Lalum was killed.

Lalum was pronounced dead at UAB Hospital shortly after the shooting.