Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Location: 9th Avenue North, Bessemer, Alabama
Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025
Accused: No arrest announced
Charges: None filed
Status: Unsolved; $5,000 Crime Stoppers reward offered
Nicholas Kenneth Ratliff, a 36-year-old father of four from Detroit, was shot and killed along 9th Avenue North in Bessemer, Alabama, on the evening of December 6, 2025. More than ten months later, no one has been arrested, and his family is now speaking publicly to ask anyone who knows what happened to come forward.
Bessemer police and Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama renewed their appeal for information this month and are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for a tip that leads to an arrest. According to Crime Stoppers, not a single tip has come in so far.
Who Was Nicholas Ratliff?
Ratliff was from Detroit and was the youngest of seven siblings, according to WBRC. He was also the father of four children. His oldest sister, Shameka Sellers, told the station that the two of them had a tradition of spending their birthdays together. Her birthday falls on December 9, just three days after he was killed.
"My birthday is on December 9, and my birthday and his birthday were always the days that we spent together," Sellers told WBRC. The first anniversary of his death is now less than two months away, and the family is still waiting for answers.
What Happened in Bessemer?
Investigators believe the shooting happened between about 7:40 p.m. and 7:50 p.m. on Saturday, December 6, 2025, along 9th Avenue North, a road WVTM 13 notes is also known as the Bessemer Super Highway. WBRC reported the location as near the Hiway Host Motel, and in a later report said Ratliff was sitting inside a car at a Family Dollar when he was shot.
By Monday, December 8, the Jefferson County Coroner's Office had identified Ratliff. According to ABC 33/40, the coroner's office said he was injured at about 7:50 p.m. in the 4300 block of 9th Avenue North and was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:06 p.m. The Bessemer Police Department is investigating the case as a homicide.
As the investigation went on, detectives learned that a stolen vehicle was believed to be involved. That vehicle was recovered burned on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, according to police and Crime Stoppers. Investigators have not publicly said who stole the vehicle, who was inside it, or what led to the shooting.
Has Anyone Been Arrested?
No. As of October 2026, no arrest has been announced and no suspect has been publicly named. Police have not released a possible motive. Any theories about why Ratliff was targeted are unconfirmed.
Ken Atkinson of Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama told WBRC that the organization has not had any response to its appeal. "We have not received any tips," he said, adding that Ratliff and his family deserve justice.
What Police Have Said
In a renewed appeal issued in mid-October 2026, Bessemer police and Crime Stoppers asked the public for any information about people or vehicles connected to the homicide, suspicious activity in the area around the time of the shooting, and how the stolen vehicle ended up burned. They also asked anyone with surveillance video or eyewitness information to come forward.
Tips can be given anonymously. Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama can be reached at (205) 254-7777 or through its website, crimestoppersmetroal.org, and through its online P3 tip form. A tip that leads to an arrest may qualify for the reward of up to $5,000.
A Sister's Plea
Sellers said her family needs someone to speak up. "If you know anything that happened to my brother, please come forward. Give us some peace as a family," she told WBRC.
She also asked the community to speak up. "People need to be people nowadays. If you know something, say something. Do what God would do," she said.
Police have specifically asked for surveillance video and eyewitness accounts from the area along 9th Avenue North. Anyone who was near the area that evening, or who has camera footage from that time, is being urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
What Happens Next
The case remains open with the Bessemer Police Department. Police and Crime Stoppers are asking for tips, video and witness accounts to help move the case forward. If anyone is arrested or charged, they will be presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Timeline of the Nicholas Ratliff Case
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Dec. 6, 2025 (Saturday) | Nicholas Ratliff, 36, is shot along 9th Avenue North in Bessemer between about 7:40 and 7:50 p.m.; he is pronounced dead at 8:06 p.m. |
| Dec. 8, 2025 (Monday) | The Jefferson County Coroner's Office identifies Ratliff; Bessemer police investigate the case as a homicide. |
| Dec. 9, 2025 (Tuesday) | A stolen vehicle believed to be involved in the case is recovered burned. |
| Oct. 15, 2026 (Thursday) | Bessemer police and Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama announce a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest. |
| Oct. 19, 2026 (Monday) | Ratliff's sister, Shameka Sellers, makes a public plea for information; Crime Stoppers says no tips have been received. |
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Nicholas Ratliff killed?
He was shot on the evening of Saturday, December 6, 2025, along 9th Avenue North (the Bessemer Super Highway) in Bessemer, Alabama, and died at the scene.
Has anyone been arrested in the Nicholas Ratliff case?
No. No arrest has been announced and no suspect has been named as of October 2026.
Is there a reward in the case?
Yes. Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama is offering up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest.
How can I share information anonymously?
Call Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama at (205) 254-7777 or submit a tip through crimestoppersmetroal.org. You do not have to give your name.
MotiveX covers cases like this in documentary form on YouTube.
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