A capital murder warrant has been issued in the shooting death of his girlfriend, a beloved Alabama State University dancer.

Rogers McCloud Jr., 20, is charged in the slaying of 21-year-old Gennia Grimes, a member of ASU’s Honey Beez dance team.

McCloud was arrested Friday and is being held without bond in the Montgomery County Detention Facility.

The investigation began on March 27 when Montgomery County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a report of a person shot on Highway 80 East in the Waugh community of Pike Road.

Grimes, of Georgia, was treated by medics on the scene and was then airlifted to the hospital where she was pronounced dead a short time later.

The sheriff’s office immediately launched an investigation.

Authorities said there were conflicting stories about what happened from McCloud, who was in the vehicle with Grimes at the time of the shooting.

“The evidence just wasn’t linking up the way he described it,‘’ said Sheriff Derrick Cunningham.

Assistant Chief Wesley Richerson said investigators have been diligently working on the case for more than a week.

“This case involves domestic violence where a young innocent woman was murdered at the hands of her boyfriend,‘’ Richerson said. “To protect the integrity of the case, we have not publicly discussed the details of this investigation.”

“However, please do not confuse our silence with inaction,” Richerson said. “We have been meticulously working to gather evidence and to determine the facts surrounding Gennia’s death.”

“Sheriff’s Office Investigators, crime scene technicians, and criminal analysts have worked diligently over the past week to ensure the truth was exposed,” he said, “and the suspect was arrested for this terrible crime.”

The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation worked alongside sheriff’s investigators.

Grimes was studying criminal justice at ASU. She was set to graduate in August.

“Gennia was full of life, love, and ambition. She was a dedicated mother, a bright student at Alabama State University, set to graduate in August 2025 with dreams of becoming a lawyer,” according to a GoFundMe. “She was also a talented dancer with a passion for making a difference. She was the youngest in her family—their miracle baby—so full of kindness and grace.”

“Now, instead of celebrating her future, we are preparing to lay her to rest,” the site reads. “Our family is raising funds to cover funeral expenses and support efforts to bring her 9-month-old baby home so he can say goodbye to his mother.”

“We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all who were touched by her kindness and spirit,” ASU posted on social media. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones during this difficult time.”