Mobile police have made an arrest in the shooting death of a 23-year-old woman on Anders Drive, charging a 29-year-old Mobile woman with murder less than 24 hours after the killing.
Kanedrea Davis was taken into custody on Saturday and initially charged with murder in the death of Chyna Hickman, according to the Mobile Police Department. That charge has since been upgraded to capital murder. Davis was also served with three outstanding warrants for harassment or harassing communications dating to March.
Update: The charge against Kanedrea Davis has been upgraded from murder to capital murder. Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood said the upgrade reflects the allegation that Davis killed both Chyna Hickman and Hickman’s unborn child.
Hickman, 23, was pregnant. She leaves behind two young children.
A $15 Dispute
According to Hickman’s brother, Jaylon Hickman, the shooting stemmed from a dispute over a $15 deposit that Davis wanted refunded for a lash appointment.
“She was killed over $15,” Jaylon Hickman said.
Hickman ran a lash business and had advertised a $20 lash special on social media on the day she died, encouraging interested customers to send a direct message to book an appointment. Her brother said she was especially busy that day and believes she was running behind on appointments.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous. Frankly, it’s horrible that a dispute of any kind could lead to a murder, much less a murder of two people. And so, my heart goes out to the victim’s family,” Blackwood said. “This is tragic and should never have happened.”
What a Capital Murder Charge Means
The upgrade is a significant escalation. In Alabama, capital murder is the only offense that carries the possibility of a death sentence, and it applies only where the killing involves specified aggravating circumstances — among them the murder of two or more people in one course of conduct. Alabama law treats the killing of a pregnant woman and her unborn child as two victims for capital murder purposes when the pregnancy has progressed to a stage where the fetus is viable or when the statute’s “two or more persons” provision is met by the facts alleged.
Blackwood said Davis, 29, faces one of two possible sentences if convicted: life without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty. He said his office has an internal process for determining which penalty it will pursue. That process typically involves consultation with the victim’s family, review of the defendant’s criminal history, and assessment of statutory aggravating and mitigating factors.
Davis remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
What Happened Friday Night
Officers were called to Anders Drive, just off Ziegler Boulevard in the northwestern part of the city, at approximately 8:15 p.m. Friday. When they arrived, they found Hickman with a gunshot wound. Her injuries were fatal.
The investigation remains open and active.
The March Warrants
One detail in the arrest record stands out. Alongside the murder charge, Davis was served with three warrants from March for harassment or harassing communications — charges that, in Alabama, cover threatening or repeated unwanted contact by phone, text or electronic message.
Police have not stated whether those warrants involve the same parties as Friday’s shooting, and it would be premature for anyone to assume they do. But the existence of outstanding harassment warrants at the time of a homicide arrest is the kind of detail investigators and prosecutors typically examine closely when reconstructing a timeline and establishing whether a conflict had been escalating. In Alabama, harassing communications is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail, and a pattern of such charges can signal a history of conflict that predates a violent confrontation.
Where the Case Goes From Here
The case will proceed toward a preliminary hearing, at which prosecutors must show probable cause, before it can be presented to a Mobile County grand jury for indictment. Capital defendants in Alabama are ordinarily held without bond. If indicted, the case would be assigned to a circuit court judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit, which covers Mobile County. The District Attorney’s office would then decide whether to seek the death penalty or life without parole, a decision that must be formally noticed within a statutory window after arraignment.
Anyone With Information
The Mobile Police Department has asked that anyone with information about the shooting come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers, and callers may remain unidentified.
This story will be updated as the investigation develops.
Update: Community Holds Vigil for Chyna Hickman
Loved ones gathered outside Chyna Hickman’s mother’s home near Airport Boulevard for a vigil in her honor, wearing pink — her favorite color — and bringing balloons, candles and flowers. Family described Hickman as soft-spoken but bold, with a strong personality and a big heart. “She was always strong-willed. She was smart, very smart,” said her mother, Chastity Bell.
Hickman’s brother, Jaylon Hickman, said the confrontation that led to her death began over a scheduling dispute: Hickman had a lash appointment at her home on Anders Drive the night she was killed, and a disagreement broke out between her and a client over rescheduling. “She was just enforcing rules. It wasn’t about the $15,” Jaylon said. “She was trying to push some things back, and I think the customer was just irate.”
Hickman’s family said she was a mother of two and pregnant with her third child, and that she had recently quit another job to focus on her lash business after learning she was pregnant. “They lost their mother. They lost a sister. My mom lost her grandchild. My sisters lost a niece,” Bell said. “I miss my baby; I just want my baby.”
Update: Davis Pleads Not Guilty to Capital Murder
Kanedrea Davis entered a plea of not guilty to the capital murder charge against her, according to court documents filed Tuesday, July 14. The plea was entered in the days following the district attorney’s decision to upgrade the charge from murder to capital murder.
Davis remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, and the case continues to move through the Mobile County court system.
Context: Small Business, Solo Entrepreneurship, and Safety
Hickman’s lash business reflects a broader trend in Mobile and across the Gulf Coast: women building independent income through home-based beauty and wellness services. Lash technicians, estheticians, and similar professionals often operate as sole proprietors, scheduling clients through social media and managing appointments, deposits, and cancellations on their own. The $15 deposit at the center of this dispute is a common practice in the industry — a safeguard against no-shows that can cost a solo provider a significant portion of a day’s earnings. When disputes arise over scheduling or deposits, they are typically resolved through the platform’s messaging or small claims processes; violence is exceedingly rare.
Resources for Those Experiencing Harassment or Threats
Residents in Mobile County who are experiencing harassing communications, threats, or escalating conflicts have several avenues for help. The Mobile Police Department accepts reports of harassing communications, and the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office operates a Victim Services Division that can assist with protection orders and safety planning. The Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) provide 24-hour confidential support. In cases where threats feel immediate, calling 911 remains the fastest way to reach law enforcement.