Canton Man Found Guilty at Trial for being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that Elbert George Robinson was found guilty after a jury trial in Madison County Circuit Court of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

On April 2, 2021, an officer with the Madison Police Department made a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Robinson on I-55 . The officer smelled burnt marijuana coming from the car, and Robinson admitted that there was a half-smoked marijuana cigarette in the ash tray. Officers then searched the vehicle and located a loaded magazine belonging to a .380 pistol in the center console of the car and .380 pistol under the front driver seat. Robinson admitted that he knew the gun was in the car. Robinson had been previously convicted of sale of a controlled substance within 1500 feet of a church in Madison County.

Robinson went to trial on the matter in front of a Madison County jury. He was found guilty of the charge and sentenced to serve ten years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections by Circuit Court Judge Brad Mills. This is the maximum sentence allowed by law.

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “The law in Mississippi is clear that if you have been convicted of a felony you are no longer allowed to carry a firearm of any type. Our law enforcement officers are always on the lookout for illegal guns whether they be stolen or in the possession of someone who is a convicted felon. We will not tolerate people illegally possessing guns in Madison and Rankin counties. Once again, we applaud our citizens for showing up in a big way, participating in our jury trials, and protecting our communities. And finally, it was nice seeing the maximum sentence imposed on this repeat felon.”

Defendant:

Name: Elbert George Robinson

Date of Birth: 03/28/1983

Found guilty at trial of Felon in Possession of a Firearm (sentenced to 10 years to serve)

Seven Madison County Men Sentenced for Involvement in Gun Trafficking Case

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett, announced today that seven people have been found guilty for their parts in a massive burglary of a Madison County deer camp.

On October 30, 2019, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call regarding a break in at a deer camp located in Camden. Upon arrival, officers discovered that the residence and an outbuilding had been broken into and ransacked. Among the items missing were six ATV’s, two trailers, at least thirty firearms, a gun safe, and various trail cameras and hunting gear.

The Sheriff’s Department was able to develop suspects using pictures from trail cameras located around the property that had captured several men entering the property on two separate occasions on October 29, 2019. They located fourteen of the missing firearms including one on a juvenile in Jackson and one on the internet for sale in Nevada. Officers were able to locate all of the ATV’s and one trailer near the residence of one of the suspects. Circuit Court Judge Dewey Arthur handed down over 200 years total between seven defendants.

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “This should be an important lesson to anyone that has deer camps or secondary residences in which they keep firearms, ATVs or other valuables. You must stay aware and take advantage of home security systems particularly those with cameras. Pivotal to the prosecution in this case were the photographs taken off the trail cameras that captured the burglaries while they were happening. A crime such as this will have far reaching and long-term effects on this community and possibly nationwide. There are still at least sixteen guns on the black market that can be used in other crimes such as armed robbery, armed carjacking, and murder. These seven men targeted the deer camp to steal and then sell firearms. Gun trafficking is a serious and scary crime. We are thankful to the Madison S.O. for working so hard to solve this case and bring all of these criminals to justice. And finally, we are so fortunate to have outstanding citizens throughout Madison and Rankin Counties who are honoring their jury summonses, participating in trials, and keeping our communities safe.”

Defendants:

Name: Trevon Carmichael AKA “Lil Money”

Date of Birth: 02/14/1999

Found guilty at trial of Trafficking in Stolen Firearms, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary of a Dwelling, and Grand Larceny (sentenced to 25 years to serve)

Name: Genoris Williamson AKA “Geno”

Date of Birth: 11/26/1999

Found guilty at trial of Trafficking in Stolen Firearms, Burglary of a Dwelling, and Burglary of a Shed (sentenced to 48 years to serve)

Name: Latavious Leach AKA “Tay Tay”

Date of Birth: 02/09/2000

Pled guilty to trafficking in stolen firearms, accessory after the fact to burglary of a dwelling, and grand larceny (sentenced to 40 years to serve)

Name: Kendravious T. Jobe AKA “KJ”

Date of Birth: 09/19/2001

Pled guilty to trafficking in stolen firearms, accessory after the fact to burglary of a dwelling, , and grand larceny (sentenced to 40 years to serve)

Name: Lakeith Smith

Date of Birth: 10/03/2001

Pled guilty to trafficking in stolen firearms, accessory after the fact to burglary of a dwelling, and grand larceny (sentenced to 25 years to serve)

Name: Laregious Carter

Date of Birth: 10/27/1999

Pled guilty to trafficking in stolen firearms, accessory after the fact to burglary of a dwelling, and grand larceny (sentenced to 25 years to serve)

Name: Quintavious Davis AKA “Tae”

Date of Birth: 12/23/1999

Pled guilty to trafficking in stolen firearms, burglary of a dwelling, and grand larceny (sentencing to be at a later date)

Forty Two Year Old Man Receives Twenty Five Year Sentence for Sexual Battery Involving Nine Year Old Girl

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett, announced today that John Anthony Gardner, 42, was sentenced to serve 25 years for Sexual Battery. The sentence was handed down after a two day trial in Madison Circuit Court. All time will have to be served day for day without the chance of early release or parole. Gardner will also have to register as a sex offender after he is released from custody.

In September 2019, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department received a complaint regarding potential sexual abuse regarding a minor child. The child alleged that her mother’s long-term boyfriend had been sexually assaulting her since she was nine years old in both Madison and Rankin Counties. The child was 14 years old at the time she disclosed the abuse to her mother and then authorities. The Madison and Rankin County Sheriff’s Departments conducted a joint investigation into the allegations, and Gardner was indicted for sexual battery in both counties.

Gardner proceeded to trial on the Madison County charges and a jury convicted him after a very short deliberation. At trial, the minor child described the years of sexual abuse by Gardner. It began when he would take her hunting or fishing but continued at home when her mother would be at work. Two of Gardner’s biological children also testified against him at trial.

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “This case was made possible by the hard work and dedication of both the Madison and Rankin County Sheriff’s Departments. This district is blessed to have so many agencies within it that are dedicated to protecting our children. But more importantly, we were able to get a guilty verdict due to the bravery of a teenage girl who stood up against her abuser and most likely saved countless other victims in the process. I am so proud of her, our outstanding law enforcement, our team at the District Attorney’s Office, and our citizens who are continuing to honor their commitment to jury service.”

Defendant:

Name: John Anthony Gardner

Date of Birth: 11/28/1978

Two Men Plead Guilty to Murder of Canton Man at Canton Sportsplex

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that both Jaheen Harris and Tyjerious Sims pled guilty to the murder of Dario Robinson.

On December 18, 2020, Dario Robinson was found shot to death in the Canton Sportsplex parking lot. Through an exhaustive investigation by both the Madison County Sheriff’s Department and the Canton Police Department, it was determined that Tyjerious Sims and Jaheen Harris robbed Robinson of his wallet and car, and Harris shot Robinson.

Officers were able to locate Robinson’s car outside of Canton. The suspects had attempted to set it on fire. Officers also located Robinson’s car keys inside Sim’s house. Cell phone analytics also tied Sims and Robinson to the area during the time of the robbery and murder. Both suspects were arrested and gave confessions to law enforcement.

Once booked into the jail, Harris assaulted a detention officer which led to additional charges for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. He pled guilty to first degree murder and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. Judge Dewey Arthur sentenced Harris to life in prison for the murder of Robinson and added ten years consecutive to his life sentence for the assault on the detention officer. Sims pled to second degree murder, which carries up to forty (40) years without parole. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Defendants:

Name: Jaheen Harris

Date of Birth: 04/22/2002

Name: Tyjerious Sims

Date of Birth: 03/10/2001

Jefferson Davis County man convicted of Murder

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney John K. Bramlett, Jr., announced today that 27-year-old Dantrell Jerome Hunter, of Prentiss, was sentenced to thirty years to serve incarcerated for the murder of a female in Rankin County.

On January 19, 2021, Deputies with the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call for an unresponsive female who was located at a residence on Conerly Road, in Rankin County. Once on the scene, Deputies immediately started investigating the death as a homicide and through their investigation, Dantrell Jerome Hunter was developed as a suspect. On June 28, 2021, Dantrell Jerome Hunter entered a plea of guilty for the crime of Second Degree Murder which carries a minimum of twenty years and a maximum of forty years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and is not eligible for early release. Hunter was sentenced to forty years with ten years suspended.

District Attorney John K. Bramlett, Jr. stated, “We would like to thank the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department for their excellent work in the investigation and their tireless work to keep our community safe.”

Defendant:

Name: Dantrell Jerome Hunter

Date of Birth: 08/07/ 1993

Man Convicted After Incident that Resulted in Madison Police Officer being Drug by Speeding Car

Madison, MS – The Madison County District Attorney’s Office announced Tyrone Jerrell Staten, 21 of Jackson, pled guilty to Aggravated Assault of a Law-Enforcement Officer and Felony Evasion stemming from an April 2021 incident that resulted in a Madison police officer being drug by a speeding car. Judge Steve Ratcliff sentenced Staten to twenty-five years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with ten years suspended.

On April 20, 2021, Madison police officer Bryce McCarra spotted a car associated with a shoplifting incident from the previous day stopped at a red light at the corner of Bozeman and Highway 463. Officer McCarra pulled the vehicle over and saw the driver matched the suspect from video surveillance of the previous day’s shoplifting felony. He asked the driver to step out of the car, but Staten refused and proceeded to roll up his window. Officer McCarra reached into the window to try and unlock the door, but Staten continued to roll up the window and sped off. Officer McCarra’s hand remained trapped inside the vehicle. Staten increased speed and fled toward I-55, dragging Officer McCarra with him. As the car approached the I-55 Southbound ramp, Officer Staten broke free and rolled to a stop near Highway 463 and the I-55 southbound ramp.

Staten continued at a high-speed rate on I-55 South until officers in pursuit forced his car off the road around the 106-mile marker. Combative and still refusing to cooperate, Staten was forcibly removed from his vehicle. After a brief struggle, officers took Staten into custody. First, they took him to Merit Health for assessment. Shortly after, they booked him in the Madison County Detention Center for a felony of Fleeing Law Enforcement, Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, and Resisting Arrest.

Officer McCarra was transported to UMC with minor injuries and later released.

Staten will serve his remaining fifteen years in the custody of MDOC and, when released, will be placed on probation.

We are thankful Officer McCarra didn’t suffer any serious injuries during this incident and was able to return home to his wife and children,” stated District Attorney Bubba Bramlett. “Running from a law enforcement agent puts innocent lives at risk, and if you run, you can expect additional prison time.”

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Canton Man Sentenced in Fentanyl Trafficking Case

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that Justin R. Williams of Canton pled guilty and was sentenced to eleven (11) years to serve in the Mississippi Department of Corrections for his part in a scheme to distribute over 380 pills containing fentanyl, a schedule II controlled substance. The 11 years in custody will be spent day for day without the possibility of parole or early release.

“Our law enforcement in Madison and Rankin Counties should be commended for their tireless efforts in ridding our communities of this deadly drug,” said District Attorney Bramlett. “In this particular case, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department kept almost 400 potentially deadly pills off the streets and out of the hands of our young people.”

Counterfeit pain pills are causing significant overdose deaths in Mississippi. These pills often contain fentanyl, an opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine. While these pills look identical to medications such as hydrocodone, oxycodone or xanax, these counterfeit versions often contain fentanyl.

“Fentanyl is not to be experimented with…the first time may be the end,” stated District Attorney Bramlett. “Fentanyl does not forgive—one pill can kill. Each time an individual takes a pill that did not come from their doctor or pharmacy, he or she is playing Russian Roulette, plain and simple.”

Without knowing the strength of an individual pill, fatal overdoses are common when dealing with counterfeit opioids. The amount of fentanyl required to make someone overdose is as little as a few grains of salt. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 80,000 people died of a drug overdose in the United States from June 2019 through May 2020. And over 70% of those deaths involved a synthetic opioid.

District Attorney Bramlett concluded, “Please educate your teenagers and young adult children of the dangers of counterfeit pills. Overdose victims often are not prior drug abusers…some are simply offered the deadly pill at a party or other similar venue, and unfortunately, they do not survive.”

Defendant:

Name: Justin R. Williams

Date of Birth: 01/27/1995

Man Sentenced to Multiple Twenty Year Sentences for DUI Death of Betty Simmons

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett, Jr. announced today that Harrison Neal Little pled guilty to one count of Driving Under the Influence resulting in Death and one count of Leaving the Scene of an Accident resulting in Death in front of Judge Dewey Arthur. Judge Arthur sentenced Little to twenty (20) years for each count, with those sentences running concurrently.

On June 10, 2020, officers with the Madison Police Department responded to a crash at the intersection of Highway 51 and Hoy Rd in the city of Madison. Ms. Betty Simmons was on her way to work at the Kroger on Highway 51 in Madison when she was rear-ended by Little. MPD determined that Little was both speeding and over the legal limit for alcohol at the time of the accident. Ms. Simmons passed away from her injuries sustained in the wreck.

At the sentencing hearing, Simmons’ family spoke of what a kind and caring mother and grandmother she was. Little apologized to the family and took complete responsibility for his actions.

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “This man made an awful and reckless decision to drive drunk. That decision took the life of an innocent woman trying to go to work and forever changed the lives of Ms. Simmons’s entire family. We are thankful for the Madison Police Department for their investigation. We continue to pray for Ms. Simmons’s family.”

Defendant:

Name: Harrison Neal Little

DOB: 04/09/1991

Man Sentenced to Thirty Years for Statutory Rape

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett, Jr., announced that on February 22, 2021, Judge Dewey Arthur sentenced Willis Delano Murray to 30 years for statutory rape.

Murray, 54, will serve all 30 years of his sentence in prison without the possibility of parole. He must register as a sex offender and will have no contact with the victim.

On November 17, 2016, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department received a call from a homeowner regarding an unknown adult man found in her daughter’s bedroom. The man fled the scene. The man was identified as 50 year old Willis Delano Murray from Houston, Texas. It was later determined that Murray began an online relationship with a 13 year old child, he continued to communicate with her and drove to Mississippi to have sexual relations with her when she was 15 years old.

Murray was indicted for statutory rape in February 2017. However, he was not extradited from Texas until December 2019. The jury trial began on December 7, 2020. On December 8, 2020, the jury found Murray guilty of statutory rape.

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “Murray used the internet to start an inappropriate online relationship with a child and then drove across state lines to have sexual relations with her. Thanks to the Rankin County citizens who served on the jury in this case, Murray will have to pay for the crime he committed.”

Defendant:

Name: Willis Delano Murray

Date of Birth: 10/04/1966

Man Gets Two Life Sentences for Sexual Battery

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney John K. Bramlett, Jr., announced that on February 22, 2021, Judge Steve Ratcliff sentenced Keith Lamar Reeder, 47, to concurrent life sentences on two separate sexual battery charges. He must also register as a sex offender and have no contact with the victims.

On May 16, 2020, Pearl Police Department received an emergency call from an individual seeking assistance because a man was in her home holding her and two children against their will. When Pearl Police officers arrived on the scene, they located Reeder hiding in the attic. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Reeder used a knife and forced his way into the home. He robbed and assaulted one of the occupants and physically and sexually assaulted the juveniles in the home.

All three victims were taken for medical treatment at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Upon their release, the juveniles were interviewed by the Mississippi Children’s Advocacy Center. Reeder made a partial confession to the Pearl Police Department during his interview.

Reeder faced charges of burglary, kidnapping, child abuse, aggravated assault, armed robbery, statutory rape, gratification of lust and sexual battery as a result of his heinous actions inside the home in Pearl on May 16, 2020. He was indicted as a habitual offender, meaning he had two or more prior felony convictions. Rather than proceeding to trial on all charges, Reeder pled guilty to two counts of sexual battery. He will serve two life sentences concurrently without the possibility of parole.

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “I am thankful for the prompt response and hard work of the Pearl Police Department, the Mississippi Children’s Advocacy Center, the Mississippi Crime Lab and the Safe Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Because of their efforts on this case, we were able to avoid having a trial where these victims would have to relive this terrible trauma on the witness stand. Keith Reeder will spend the rest of his life in prison for his actions, which is where he belongs.”

Defendant:

Name: Keith Lamar Reeder

Date of Birth: 02/17/1974

Madison County Man Receives Two Life Sentences Plus Thirty Years for Stabbing, Killing, and Burning Wife and Stepdaughter

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced that Walter Simpson, 47, was sentenced today by Circuit Court Judge Steve Ratcliff after being convicted of the double murders of his wife and stepdaughter. A jury found Simpson guilty of two counts of First Degree Murder, one count of First Degree Arson, and one count of Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon on October 29, 2020. Judge Ratcliff sentenced Simpson to life without parole for each of the murder convictions, twenty years for the first degree arson conviction, and ten years for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On June 5, 2018, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to Crown Road located in the Camden area to a home belonging to Walter and Falonda Simpson as well as her daughter Davonda Washington. When they arrived on scene, they found two badly burned bodies inside the home. Each victim had suffered multiple stab wounds and were both deceased.

Authorities were able to determine that Simpson had stabbed his step-daughter and wife to death and then attempted to set their bodies and the house on fire. Simpson was found guilty after a three day jury trial. Family members of both victims testified during the sentencing hearing.

District Attorney Bramlett stated “We want to again tell the victims’ families that we are so sorry that this happened to their loved ones. We hope it brings them some closure to know that Mr. Simpson will never get out of prison as they continue to grieve their loved ones.”

Man Pleads Guilty to Exploitation of a Child and Will Serve Forty Years

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett, Jr., announced today that Michael Eugene Farmer was sentenced to 40 years for Exploitation of a Child.

Farmer, 45, will serve all 40 years of his sentence in prison. He must register as a sex offender and will have no contact with his victims.

On April 26, 2019, the Richland Police Department received a complaint regarding Farmer sexually assaulting a child. It was reported the abuse took place at his home in Richland.

The child was interviewed by the Children’s Advocacy Center. During the interview, the minor child disclosed that Farmer performed sexual acts with the child over a period of six months. Additionally, a search of Farmer’s electronics revealed that he possessed images of child pornography. These images were of two separate minor children, including the victim of the sexual assault.

Farmer was charged with one count of sexual battery and five counts of exploitation of a child. On September 8, 2020, Farmer pled guilty, to one count of exploitation of a child. He was sentenced on November 2, 2020 by Judge Dewey Arthur.

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “I am glad to know that Michael Farmer is locked up for his foreseeable future and that he cannot hurt anymore children. My office will continue to prosecute sexual predators like Farmer to the fullest extent.”

Defendant:

Name: Michael Eugene Farmer

Date of Birth: 09/09/1975

Pearl Man Sentenced to Twenty-Five Years for Sexual Battery

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that Cullen Royce Fields was sentenced to 25 years after being found guilty of sexual battery by a jury.

Fields, 40, will serve all 25 years of his sentence in prison without the possibility of parole. He must register as a sex offender after he is released and can have no contact with the victim either while in custody or after his release.

On August 4, 2019, the Pearl Police Department received a complaint regarding Fields sexually assaulting an adult female. It was reported the rape took place at his home in Pearl.

The jury trial took place over the course of a few days. The defendant claimed that the sexual encounter was consensual. However, after hearing from multiple witnesses, including both the victim and the defendant, the jury found Fields guilty of sexual battery. He was sentenced by Judge Dewey Arthur on November 4, 2020 to 25 years in prison.

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with the victim, who was very courageous throughout this process. It takes a lot of courage to publicly testify about such a traumatic event. As for Mr. Fields, he will spend the next twenty-five years in prison. Anyone convicted of a sexual crime such as this will serve every single day of his sentence in prison. No exceptions – that’s the law.”

Defendant:

Name: Cullen Royce Fields

Date of Birth: 02/04/1980

Jackson Man Found Guilty in Homicide of Missouri Woman at Logan’s Roadhouse Restaurant

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that Zebulum James, 27, was convicted, after a jury trial, of the murder of Kristy Mitchell.

On November 19, 2015 Ridgeland Police Department was alerted to a shooting at the Logan’s Roadhouse on County Line Road. Upon arrival, they located Kristy Mitchell, 48, who was from Excelsior Springs, Missouri and staying at the Drury Inn on a business trip.

Mrs. Mitchell had been shot in her abdomen by an unknown man driving a blue Mustang. Witnesses stated that the Mustang left the parking lot heading south towards Hinds County via I-55. Officers later received information, from the Jackson Police Department, that they were working multiple crime scenes involving a man driving a blue Mustang. After a joint investigation, it was determined James had shot and killed a woman at a gas station in Hinds County, shot a JATRAN bus, shot into a house in Jackson, and shot and killed Mitchell all within an hour and half period.

James was located shortly thereafter at his mother’s apartment in Jackson. Authorities also located the blue Mustang as well as the gun that was used in both murders. James went to trial in Madison County Monday asserting an insanity defense. Multiple forensic psychiatrists evaluated James over an extended period of time and testified at trial that he was not insane at the time of the murder. After deliberation, the jury unanimously found him to be guilty of the murder of Mitchell.

District Attorney Bramlett stated “First, our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Mrs. Mitchell. It is inconceivable that someone here on business could be gunned down by a stranger as they walked through a parking lot for dinner. Why Zebulum James found it necessary to take this innocent woman’s life we will never know. But, what we do know is that he was not crazy. He was not insane. He is a murderer, and he will now spend the rest of his life in prison as a result of that. A special thanks goes out to the many officers with both the Ridgeland and Jackson Police Departments that worked together in order to quickly capture this violent criminal. I also want to thank my investigators at the DA’s Office for the countless hours they spent helping to bring this case to trial. None of this would be possible without the work of law enforcement. We hope this verdict brings some sort of closure to Mrs. Mitchell’s family.”

Defendant:

Name: Zebulum James

Date of Birth: 10/26/1993

Guilty Verdicts in Double Murder Trial of Camden Man

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that Walter Simpson, 47, was convicted after a jury trial of the double murders of his wife and stepdaughter.

On June 5, 2018, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to Crown Road located in the Camden area to a home belonging to Walter and Falonda Simpson as well as her daughter Davonda Washington. When they arrived on scene they found two badly burned bodies inside the home. Each victim had suffered multiple stab wounds and were both deceased.

Through a complex, multi-agency investigation involving the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, MBI, Madison Police Department, the State Fire Marshals, and others, authorities were able to determine that Simpson had stabbed his step-daughter and wife to death and then attempted to set their bodies and the house on fire.

The investigation also led to the discovery that Simpson was making unwanted sexual advances towards his young adult step-daughter. When Washington confided to her mother about the sexual advances, the mother came to the family home to confront Simpson and demand he leave the residence. However, Simpson refused, became angered, and stabbed Falonda Simpson four times and Davonda Washington 54 times. He then set the bodies on fire and left the residence.

Officers were able to use GPS to track Simpson to Winona to a burn pile where officers believe he destroyed the clothing he was wearing and other evidence from the crime scene.

Simpson was found guilty of two counts of First Degree Murder, one count of First Degree Arson, and one count of Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon. Simpson had previously been convicted of stabbing a girlfriend, causing her to lose her eye, in 1998.

District Attorney Bramlett stated “First, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of both Davonda Washington and Falonda Simpson. We are, as always, appreciative of our dedicated law enforcement agencies that worked to make sure that justice was served for both women. No person deserves to have their life cut short, especially not in such a brutally, violent way. And finally, I am so proud of all the men and women in our District Attorney’s Office who have been all hands on deck this past month in obtaining six murder convictions.”

Walter Simpson is set to be sentenced January 4, 2021.

Defendant:

Name: Walter Simpson

Date of Birth: 11/28/1972

Found Guilty of Two Counts of First Degree Murder; First Degree Arson, and Felon in Possession of a Weapon. Sentencing Set for January 4, 2020.

Flora Man Convicted of Second Degree Murder

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that Frederick Edwards Jr., 20, was found guilty of second degree murder after a two day jury trial held before Circuit Court Judge Dewey Arthur.

On February 24, 2019, the Flora Police Department was dispatched to 457 Railroad Avenue located in Flora to the scene of a knife attack. Mr. Jimmie Forbes, 63, who was disabled and wheelchair bound, told police that a man named Freddy had come to his home demanding to borrow his truck and, when Forbes refused, he attacked Forbes with a knife. He stabbed Forbes multiple times in the chest and stomach region. Mr. Forbes later succumbed to his injuries, passing away on March 2, 2019.

During the trial, Edwards told the jury that he had smoked marijuana. However, he claimed that the joint must have been laced with something causing him to act out as he did. Medical experts determined he was competent to stand trial, and the jury found him responsible for his actions.

District Attorney Bramlett stated “This was a violent attack on an elderly, disabled man. We are thankful to the Flora Police Department for such a thorough investigation as well as the jurors of Madison County who showed up for jury duty and ultimately served on this trial so that Mr. Forbes could receive justice. The law in Mississippi does not allow you to escape conviction because you voluntarily became intoxicated and had an adverse reaction that you were not expecting. This is true even if you did not know the intoxicating substance was laced with another intoxicating substance. You are still responsible for your actions when you decide to engage in the use of illegal drugs.”

Frederick Edwards, Jr. is set to be sentenced January 4, 2021.

Defendant:

Name: Frederick Edwards, Jr.

Date of Birth: 08/02/2000

Found Guilty of Second Degree Murder

Man Sentenced to Forty Years for Killing Girlfriend

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that Errik Nichols, 55, pled guilty to second degree murder and was sentenced to serve forty years for the shooting death of his girlfriend.

On January 2, 2020, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to 192 Victoria Lane in Camden. When officers arrived, they found Nichols on scene near a small travel trailer located in a field. Inside the trailer, Betty Allman had been shot in her bed and was deceased. Nichols showed investigators the homemade shotgun that had been fashioned with a pipe and a welded handle.

Nichols was taken into custody at that time. Nichols and Allman had moved to Madison County from Kansas City, Missouri in December 2019. Nichols indicated that the two had gotten into an argument, and, during the argument, he shot Allman. Nichols pled guilty to second degree murder and was sentenced by Judge Dewey Arthur to serve forty years in prison. Those serving second degree murder sentences are not eligible for early release or parole. Nichols had previously been convicted of Aggravated Assault out of Hinds County and Attempted Murder out of Cook County, Illinois.

District Attorney Bramlett stated “Mr. Nichols has an ugly history. He is a violent person. Mr. Nichols is 55 years old and will have to serve every day of the next forty years of his life in prison. Perhaps his days of hurting other people are over. I would like to thank the Madison County Sheriff’s Department for working to solve this case quickly and effectively so that we could get justice for Ms. Allman. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family.”

Defendant:

Name: Errick Nichols

Date of Birth: 12/16/1964

Pled to: Second Degree Murder; 40 years to serve

Six Sentenced in Murder of Man at Ridgeland Park

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett, Jr., announced today that Christopher Coleman, Lenzarius Roberts, Darius Farmer, Kaland McCollum, Christopher Tyler, and D’Antonio Guyton, each pled guilty for their part in a drive-by shooting that left one man dead at a local park.

On June 18, 2019, the Ridgeland Police Department was dispatched to the basketball courts at 325 Midway Avenue where 23-year old Kendrell Miller had been shot. A witness stated that a white truck had driven by the park while one of the occupants fired multiple rounds at a group of young men at the basketball courts.

Through a lengthy and extensive investigation, Detectives with RPD were able to identify several individuals in connection with this shooting. Officers discovered that Lenzarius Roberts (who was 16 at the time of the shooting) was engaged in an ongoing feud with another group of boys over the rights to sell marijuana in the area. When Roberts discovered the other boys were at the basketball courts at Midway on this date, he decided to go and confront them. He gathered Coleman, McCollum, Tyler, Farmer and Guyton in a truck and they drove to the park. By all reports, Roberts was driving the van, Coleman (20 years old at the time of the murder) Farmer (22), McCollum (27), Guyton (20), and Tyler (17) were all passengers in the van. Game cameras set up in the area photographed the group in the truck as they drove past the basketball courts, and turned around in a dead end nearby. The passengers then switched around places in the truck, and Roberts drove back towards the courts. Coleman fired the shots that ultimately killed Miller.

All the Defendants ultimately gave statements and agreed that they did not have any ill will towards Miller, and, in fact, some considered him a friend. He was never the intended target and was simply at the park that day to play basketball with friends.

Each man was charged for his various parts in the murder. Roberts and Coleman were both charged with the murder due to the fact that Coleman fired the shots and Roberts both planned the shooting and drove the truck to and from the crime scene. Coleman and Roberts both pled guilty to second degree murder and were each sentenced to thirty years in the custody of MDOC, all of which will have to be served day for day without the possibility of parole. Each of the other four individuals in the truck pled to various charges for their parts in planning and trying to cover up the murder. McCollum pled to drive by shooting and received a sentence of 18 years to serve. Tyler, Farmer, and Guyton all pled to accessory after the fact to murder and received 15 years to serve each.

District Attorney Bramlett stated “It is hard to understand why an innocent bystander playing basketball had to lose his life over a ongoing feud between two groups of young men. I am proud to work with an agency such as the Ridgeland Police Department that spent countless man hours putting together a case that was strong enough that each of the six men in that truck were held accountable for their individual parts of this senseless loss of life.”

Bramlett further explained, “The laws in Mississippi hold that if you are a part of a plan to shoot someone, even if the victim is not your intended target, and even if you are not the one that actually pulled the trigger, you can be held criminally responsible. If you participate in a criminal act, even if just by helping to try to cover it up after the fact, you can be and will be treated as a part of the primary crime in Madison and Rankin Counties. You will go to prison – especially for violent crimes. Unfortunately, the decisions of each of these men led to the death of someone just trying to enjoy an afternoon at a local park. This is inexcusable and for that I am glad that each of these six men will spend a significant amount of time in prison as a result of their actions.”

Name: Christopher Coleman

Date of Birth: 09/17/1998

Pled to: Second Degree Murder; 30 years to serve

Name: Lenzarius Roberts

Date of Birth: 12/04/2002

Pled to: Second Degree Murder; 30 years to serve

Name: Darius Farmer

Date of Birth: 03/18/1997

Pled to Accessory after the Fact to Murder, 15 years to serve

Name: Kaland McCollum

Date of Birth: 07/18/1991

Pled to: Drive by Shooting; 18 years to serve

Name: Christopher Tyler

Date of Birth: 01/05/2002

Pled to Accessory after the Fact to Murder, 15 years to serve

Name: D’Antonio Guyton

Date of Birth: 06/26/1998

Pled to Accessory after the Fact to Murder, 15 years to serve

Hinds County man receives 42 years for string of Auto Burglaries

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney John K. Bramlett, Jr., announced today that 43-year-old Woodrez Tremayne Davis, of Jackson was convicted of twelve counts of automobile burglary that occurred in several neighborhoods in Rankin County.

On September 30, 2017 and October 1, 2017 residents of multiple neighborhoods in Rankin County reported that there had been numerous automobile burglaries. Through the course of the investigation deputies with the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department responded to twelve total automobile burglaries. One of the victims had a video surveillance system in place that was able to capture the thief on video.

Sheriff Bryan Bailey’s deputies sent this video to other law enforcement agencies in the area. A detective with the Clinton Police was able to make a positive identification of the suspect on the video. This detective identified the suspect as Woodrez Tremayne Davis. The Clinton detective was familiar with Davis because Davis was also a suspect in several automobile burglaries in the Clinton area. The Flowood Police Department was also able to provide assistance placing Davis in Rankin County at the time of the crime. They gathered video surveillance that showed the vehicle that Davis was known to drive in Rankin County on September 30, 2017 and October 1, 2017.

The Rankin County Sheriff’s deputies learned that another agency had an outstanding arrest warrant on Woodrez Tremayne Davis. On October 2, 2017, deputies Rankin County Sheriff’s Department met with representatives of the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Madison Police Department and Clinton Police Department in an effort to coordinate their cases and make an arrest of Davis. When officers arrived at Davis’s location in Jackson, he was working on his vehicle. In plain view, were several items that had been reported stolen from Rankin County. After obtaining a search warrant, Clinton Police Department and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department worked together to search and identify other stolen property at Davis’s location. Woodrez Tremayne Davis was taken to Rankin County where, after waiving his Miranda rights, he confessed to twelve automobile burglaries in Rankin County. He was later transported to Hinds County to face charges in their jurisdiction.

On November 30, 2017, Davis was indicted by a Rankin County Grand Jury for twelve counts of automobile burglary. He has been in custody since this crime completing his previous sentences with the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Davis was returned to the Rankin County Jail earlier this year to face his charges in the Rankin County Circuit Court. Davis entered an open guilty plea before Circuit Court Judge Dewey Arthur. Judge Arthur sentenced Davis to serve seven years on each of the twelve counts. Counts one through six are to run consecutively to each other for a total of 42 years. Counts seven through twelve are to run concurrently with each other and with counts one through six.

District Attorney John K. Bramlett, Jr. stated, “Davis is a career criminal whose repeated thefts have disturbed the lives and peace of the citizens of Rankin County. We want the message to be clear: Do not come to Rankin County to steal. We hope this is the end of Davis’s criminal career, and that this sentence will discourage others from going down the same path.”

Bramlett added, “We would like to thank Sheriff Bryan Bailey and the excellent work of his deputies for leading this investigation. Sheriff Bailey’s deputies are always quick in their response and thorough in their investigations. Also, because of the great working relationship they have with other agencies, Davis was able to be apprehended quickly and safely. We would also like to thank the other law enforcement agencies for their assistance in this investigation. We would specifically like to thank the Flowood Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, Clinton Police Department and the Madison Police Department for their assistance and excellent work in the investigation. The tireless work of law enforcement enabled our office to be able to secure this conviction.”

Defendant:

Name: Woodrez Tremayne Davis

Date of Birth: 7/27/1977

Ridgeland Police and FBI Bust Local Man on Human Trafficking Charges

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney John K. Bramlett, Jr., announced today that Jerrell Leashaun Jackson, 33, was sentenced to serve 40 years for one count of human trafficking and three counts of sexual battery by Circuit Court Judge John H. Emfinger. The time will have to be served day for day without the chance of early release or parole. Jackson will have to register as a sex offender after he is released from custody.

On June 26, 2019, the Ridgeland Police Department received a complaint about possible inappropriate contact between underage females and an adult male. Through a joint investigation with the Ridgeland Police Department, the FBI, and others, it was discovered that the victims were brought to Ridgeland wherein they were forced into sexual acts.

Rather than proceed to trial, Jackson pleaded guilty to his Madison County charges on September 1, 2020. He is still currently awaiting trial through the US District Court for related charges.

District Attorney John K. Bramlett stated, “This case is an example that human trafficking is a real problem that affects real families in our communities. Thankfully, the Ridgeland Police Department, the FBI, and other agencies were able to identify these victims and build a solid case against the man who was abusing them for his own gain.”

Defendant:

Name: Jerrell Leashaun Jackson

Date of Birth: 04/21/1987