Man Charged After Killings of TLC Reality Personality and His Wife: Latest on Deaths of T.J. Lee Jr. and Taylor Brewer

A former reality television participant and his spouse were fatally shot in Birmingham, Alabama, in what investigators now describe as a drug transaction gone wrong, according to testimony provided during a court hearing.

Teddy Edward “T.J.” Lee Jr., 34, who appeared in multiple episodes of TLC’s My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding approximately a decade ago, and his 33-year-old wife Brittany “Taylor” Brewer sustained fatal gunshot wounds to their heads and necks on Feb. 13, AL.com reports.

Birmingham police responded to the 4900 block of 41st Street North around 7:30 p.m. after receiving calls about gunfire and a potential victim visible in a vehicle. When officers arrived, they discovered the unresponsive couple inside a black Jeep Renegade that was backed into a driveway. Medical personnel pronounced both deceased at 8:12 p.m.

Demetrius Walton, 43, faces capital murder charges in connection with the double homicide. During a preliminary hearing before Jefferson County District Judge William Bell, Detective Ronald Davenport testified that Lee had arranged to sell narcotics at an apartment where Walton was present. Law enforcement recovered crystal methamphetamine, ammunition, cash, and a firearm at the scene, according to courtroom testimony, per AL.com.

The apartment resident told investigators he had recently returned home to find Walton and his girlfriend already there. Shortly after, the resident received a text message from Lee questioning why Walton was at the location. Testimony revealed that Lee and Walton had previously argued over a dog one to two weeks prior to the shooting.

According to police accounts, Walton and his girlfriend departed in a silver Land Rover shortly before multiple gunshots were fired. A Tarrant officer working nearby reported seeing a vehicle matching that description fleeing after gunfire erupted. A neighborhood witness contradicted some elements of the resident’s statement, telling detectives she observed people outside during the shooting, including the resident standing in his doorway, and claimed someone returned fire at the departing SUV.

Authorities apprehended Walton within hours in the 4900 block of 43rd Street North. When questioned, he claimed he and his girlfriend had visited the apartment to use the Wi-Fi to pay a phone bill and heard gunshots as they were leaving, with a bullet allegedly striking his vehicle. Detective Davenport noted inconsistencies in this account, stating no shell casings were found in the roadway to support Walton’s explanation.

Judge Bell forwarded the case to a grand jury for potential indictment and ordered Walton to remain held without bond despite defense attorney Emory Anthony arguing insufficient evidence connecting his client to the killings.

Behind the headlines of this violent incident were two individuals remembered fondly by family members. Lee’s sister, Helen Howell, described her brother as a charismatic and loving person who “could never walk into a room and blend” and whose “laugh was infectious,” according to separate coverage from AL.com.

“I don’t think my brother ever had an enemy,” Howell stated. “That’s why it’s been so shocking that somebody would hate him enough to do what happened.”

Lee grew up in the Rumney Chel culture, also known as English Travelers, and took pride in his heritage. His outgoing personality made him a natural fit for reality television, where he embraced his role with characteristic flair. In one episode, Lee described himself, saying, “I’m a good-looking guy, a sexually active person. I like for women to have The Teddy Experience.”

Lee and Brewer met approximately eight years ago through social media. “He flew her to him in North Carolina and it was instant,” Howell recounted. “They never left each other’s side from the moment he flew her to North Carolina.” Together they had two children, though all of their children live with other family members.

Howell learned about the tragedy through a call from the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office. “You never prepare yourself for a call saying your sister-in-law and brother have been shot and they are dead,” she said. The family planned two funerals—one in Mississippi with their Rumney Chel community and another in Birmingham for friends and family.

Despite the painful circumstances surrounding their deaths, Howell expressed gratitude toward investigators: “There’s so many mothers and people in this world who don’t have closure and how fortunate we are to have the people who are responsible being held accountable.”

She remembered her brother for his unconditional love toward others, noting that while Brewer had experienced a difficult past, “she experienced love in her life because she was with my brother and my brother never left her.”