Topline: A judge set a $175,000 bond for a Florida man charged with killing his 20-year-old girlfriend, an Alabama State University student found dead in a Montgomery hotel room.
Published: August 31, 2026 7:04 am ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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Jalil Bivens, left, and Ava Walters (via Montgomery County Jail / GoFundMe)
MONTGOMERY, AL — A judge has set a $175,000 bond for a 22-year-old Florida man charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend, 20-year-old Alabama State University student Ava Walters.
Walters, a Fort Lauderdale native and second-year Health Information Management major at Alabama State, was found dead Sunday in Montgomery after investigators said her boyfriend, Jalil Bivens, told police the two had spent the night together at the Hilton Garden Inn, where the university had rented rooms for students during dorm construction. Details from the case were reported by AL.com and WSFA.
According to testimony summarized in the reporting, Bivens told investigators he drove from Fort Lauderdale to Montgomery on Saturday night to surprise Walters. He said Walters met him on campus with her best friend, and the group later went to a party before he and Walters left together for the hotel.
Investigators said Bivens told police the couple argued the next morning and that he choked Walters during what he described as a consensual act. He said she became unconscious after he let go, and authorities said he later searched ChatGPT for how to wake someone who had been choked out, then called a friend on FaceTime before finally calling police.
When officers arrived, Walters was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said an autopsy determined her cause of death was manual strangulation and that her injuries were inconsistent with parts of Bivens’ account.
Police also said Bivens had scratches on his torso and arms that investigators believe were defensive wounds. Authorities further testified that Bivens admitted he had an AR-style pistol in his car that he said he bought on the street.
District Judge Pamela Higgins granted bond Friday and ordered that Bivens cannot leave Alabama without court permission while the case moves forward.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Judge Sets $175,000 Bond for Man Accused in Death of Alabama State Student Ava Walters
A judge set a $175,000 bond for a Florida man charged with killing his 20-year-old girlfriend, an Alabama State University student found dead in a Montgomery hotel room.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: August 31, 2026 7:04 am ET
Jalil Bivens, left, and Ava Walters (via Montgomery County Jail / GoFundMe)
MONTGOMERY, AL — A judge has set a $175,000 bond for a 22-year-old Florida man charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend, 20-year-old Alabama State University student Ava Walters.
Walters, a Fort Lauderdale native and second-year Health Information Management major at Alabama State, was found dead Sunday in Montgomery after investigators said her boyfriend, Jalil Bivens, told police the two had spent the night together at the Hilton Garden Inn, where the university had rented rooms for students during dorm construction. Details from the case were reported by AL.com and WSFA.
According to testimony summarized in the reporting, Bivens told investigators he drove from Fort Lauderdale to Montgomery on Saturday night to surprise Walters. He said Walters met him on campus with her best friend, and the group later went to a party before he and Walters left together for the hotel.
Investigators said Bivens told police the couple argued the next morning and that he choked Walters during what he described as a consensual act. He said she became unconscious after he let go, and authorities said he later searched ChatGPT for how to wake someone who had been choked out, then called a friend on FaceTime before finally calling police.
When officers arrived, Walters was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said an autopsy determined her cause of death was manual strangulation and that her injuries were inconsistent with parts of Bivens’ account.
Police also said Bivens had scratches on his torso and arms that investigators believe were defensive wounds. Authorities further testified that Bivens admitted he had an AR-style pistol in his car that he said he bought on the street.
District Judge Pamela Higgins granted bond Friday and ordered that Bivens cannot leave Alabama without court permission while the case moves forward.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Judge Sets $175,000 Bond for Man Accused in Death of Alabama State Student Ava Walters
A judge set a $175,000 bond for a Florida man charged with killing his 20-year-old girlfriend, an Alabama State University student found dead in a Montgomery hotel room.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: August 31, 2026 7:04 am ET
Jalil Bivens, left, and Ava Walters (via Montgomery County Jail / GoFundMe)
MONTGOMERY, AL — A judge has set a $175,000 bond for a 22-year-old Florida man charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend, 20-year-old Alabama State University student Ava Walters.
Walters, a Fort Lauderdale native and second-year Health Information Management major at Alabama State, was found dead Sunday in Montgomery after investigators said her boyfriend, Jalil Bivens, told police the two had spent the night together at the Hilton Garden Inn, where the university had rented rooms for students during dorm construction. Details from the case were reported by AL.com and WSFA.
According to testimony summarized in the reporting, Bivens told investigators he drove from Fort Lauderdale to Montgomery on Saturday night to surprise Walters. He said Walters met him on campus with her best friend, and the group later went to a party before he and Walters left together for the hotel.
Investigators said Bivens told police the couple argued the next morning and that he choked Walters during what he described as a consensual act. He said she became unconscious after he let go, and authorities said he later searched ChatGPT for how to wake someone who had been choked out, then called a friend on FaceTime before finally calling police.
When officers arrived, Walters was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said an autopsy determined her cause of death was manual strangulation and that her injuries were inconsistent with parts of Bivens’ account.
Police also said Bivens had scratches on his torso and arms that investigators believe were defensive wounds. Authorities further testified that Bivens admitted he had an AR-style pistol in his car that he said he bought on the street.
District Judge Pamela Higgins granted bond Friday and ordered that Bivens cannot leave Alabama without court permission while the case moves forward.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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