‘People loved her’: Father of teen allegedly killed by man out on bond for murder remembers daughter
Darrell Portis awoke to the news early Friday morning that Jireh was shot and killed at the Azalea Court Townhomes on Bellingrath Road.
By TYLER FINGERT
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MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) — Photos is how friends and family of 18-year-old Jireh Portis remember her. Pictures and memories are now all they have left. The teenager was killed overnight. Police say at the hands of her boyfriend.
“People loved her,” said her father Darrel Portis. “Jireh had a lot of energy and she was quirky, but we loved Jireh.”
Darrell awoke to the news early Friday morning that Jireh was shot and killed at the Azalea Court Townhomes on Bellingrath Road.
“Since I woke up this morning, it hits you, it’s just like a violent shaking inside of you,” he said.
The person police arrested for the crime is 22-year-old Dayvon Bray — the same man who Prichard Police arrested back in August for murder.
At the time, he was silent as he walked by our camera on the way to Metro Jail. A month after being arrested in that case he was able to post a $200,000 bond and was released with an ankle monitor.
“A truly innocent victim that he murdered last night she is the tragedy in all of this because her life could have been spared if he had been held in Metro Jail on the original charge,” said District Attorney Ashley Rich.
Alabama lawmakers have been working on bail reform for years to try and stop the catch and release of violent offenders.
Last year, the legislature passed Aniah’s Law which would give judge’s more ability to deny bond. The constitutional amendment will go before voters in November. Mobile law enforcement and prosecutors say the law might have saved Jireh.
“This is an example of again why we need Aniah’s Law because the judge should have had the discretion to hold him with no bond on the first charge to begin with,” Rich said.
“Extremely frustrating to have to address the same individual for the same type of offense a second time,” said Mobile Public Safety Director Lawrence Battiste.
For Jireh’s father, he wants the law changed too after losing his daughter.
“I really want the next parent to not have to go through this ordeal because it is very traumatic,” Darrell Portis said.
Bray is set to have a bond hearing on Monday where he will likely be denied bond.
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