08-04-2025
Atlanta family mourns ASU student allegedly murdered by boyfriend
The Brief
Rogers "BB" McCloud, Jr., is charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Gennia Grimes.
Grimes and McCloud were dating and have an infant son together.
Grimes' family says the suspect told them Grimes had committed suicide.
Grimes was a junior attending Alabama State University to study criminal justice.
According to her family, the couple had been together about two years but were about to break up before her death.
ATLANTA - A man has been charged with murdering his girlfriend, a student at Alabama State University.
What we know
Rogers "BB" McCloud is charged with the capital murder of Gennia Grimes, who was also the mother of his child.
He is being held without bond in the Montgomery County Detention Center in Alabama.
Dig deeper
Gennia Grimes grew up in the Ben Hill area of southwest Atlanta and graduated from Mays High School. She went on to study criminal justice at Alabama State University and was a member of the Honey Beez dance team.
She met Rogers "BB" McCloud, Jr. at school and, according to Grimes' family, had been dating him for about two years. The couple had a son together.
Amber A. Harris, a mentor of Grimes, said the suspect told the family Gennia had committed suicide.
"Nobody believed him," said Harris. "We know the truth."
What they're saying
Angela Grimes says her daughter told her she was going to break up with McCloud. The mother believes she and her daughter were betrayed by the suspect.
"My baby did not deserve that. This was somebody she loved," said Grimes. "When he came here [to visit], my family treated him like he was our family."
A spokesperson from Alabama State University released the following statement:
"Alabama State University mourns the loss of Gennia Grimes, a Junior Criminal Justice major. We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all who were touched by her kindness and spirit. Our thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones during this difficult time."
What's next
The family plans to hold Grimes' funeral at Antioch Baptist Church North this weekend. They created a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for it.
Angela Grimes says she will raise her grandson, Rogers McCloud, III.
The Source
FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Kevyn Stewart interviewed Angela Grimes, the mother of Gennia Grimes, for this article.