Mississippi
6 die in MS shooting spree including 7-year-old, police arrest suspect
Capital murder charge possible
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Authorities arrested and charged a 24-year-old man with murder after six people were killed, including a 7-year-old girl, in a series of shootings Friday, Jan. 9, in northeast Mississippi.
The information was disclosed by authorities during a press conference Saturday, Jan. 10.
Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said the victims — some of whom are family members related to the suspect — were shot at three separate locations late Friday night in Clay County.
The shootings took place in the rural community of Cedarbluff, west of the county seat of West Point. Clay County is roughly 125 miles northeast of Jackson.
Scott identified the shooting shooter as Daricka Moore, 24. Moore was booked into the county jail shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday on a first-degree murder charge. Scott said prosecutors are working to upgrade the charge to capital murder with additional murder charges forthcoming.
Investigators have yet to determine a motive.
Scott described the emotional state of surviving family members as “overwhelmed grief” in the aftermath of the incident.
The first shooting happened Friday at a residence on David Hill Road, where three people were killed. Moore allegedly shot and killed his father, Glen Moore, 67; his uncle Willie Guines, 55; and his brother Quinton Moore, 33.
Upon arrival, deputies discovered the three men sustained gunshot wounds to the head.
Moore then allegedly stole Quinton’s pickup truck and drove to a home located on Blake Road, where deputies had initially received their first 911 call.
Scott said Clay County E-911 received a call at approximately 6:56 p.m. Friday in regard to gunshot victims at Blake Road. Clay County deputies arrived on the scene at 7:03 p.m. Friday.
Scott said once at that residence on Blake Road, Moore allegedly “forced his way into the home and attempted to commit a sexual battery while armed with a handgun.”
“At some point, Moore, in front of witnesses, allegedly shot and killed a 7-year-old female at the home,” Scott said.
According to authorities, the child suffered a gunshot wound to the head. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene. Moore allegedly tried to sexually assault the child prior to killing her.
Investigators said the girl was also related to the suspect but did not release her name.
“Personally, I don’t know what kind of motive you could have to kill a 7-year-old,” Scott said. “It’s just none out there, that you can explain to me why this would happen.”
It is believed that Moore fled from the Blake Road scene in the stolen vehicle and traveled to a residence on Siloam-Griffith Road, where two people were found dead.
Deputies were directed to the Griffith Road residence by a 911 call.
Scott said upon arrival, investigators discovered the stolen pickup truck hidden behind the house. While at the home, deputies discovered apparent forced entry into the rear of the residence.
Two deceased males, Berry Bradley and Samuel Bradley, had suffered gunshot wounds to their heads. Both brothers, who are from Columbus, were pronounced dead at the scene.
It is unclear if the brothers had any connection to Moore before the shooting.
Law enforcement captured Moore at the intersection of Pine Grove Road and Joe Myers Road. Moore was in a vehicle allegedly stolen from the Siloam-Griffith house.
Moore was taken into custody by members of the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals and other law enforcement agencies.
Scott stated that Moore was not on law enforcement’s “radar” before the shootings, and authorities had no records of prior criminal charges against him.
“We all lift our hearts and prayer for the victims and families,” Scott said. “This has really, really shaken our community. For me, almost 30 years, and this is one of the toughest ones we’ve had to work. Our job right now is to thoroughly investigate and make sure that we get our district attorney’s office everything that they need to prosecute.”
District Attorney Scott Colom, who recently threw his hat into the ring for next year’s U.S. Senate race, spoke at the press conference.
Colom stated that the death penalty will be sought if Moore is found eligible, noting that further investigation and potential mental evaluations must be completed before the district attorney’s office pursues this course of action.
“Typically, I would consult with the victims and, you know, wait down the line. But there’s some cases [where] they’ve got to get the worst punishment. They got to get the worst punishment. Six people, one night, several different scenes. You’ve heard the allegations. They’re about as bad as it gets,” Colom said.
“If he’s eligible, we’re going to go for the death penalty and let a jury decide his fate.”
Authorities said the details shared at the press conference are considered preliminary information and are subject to change.
Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.
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Staff
A wood products manufacturer is set to create new jobs as part of a major expansion.
Carpenter Pole and Piling is investing nearly $5 million into its Wiggins, Mississippi, operation.
The expansion will add 10 new positions and support long-term growth in the region.
“Carpenter Pole and Piling is a true Mississippi success story, and we’re proud to see the company continue investing right here at home,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said.
“This expansion in Stone County is creating new opportunities for hardworking Mississippians while strengthening a company that has long contributed to our state’s economy,” Reeves said. “When Mississippi businesses grow, our communities grow with them, and we remain committed to fostering a business environment where companies can thrive.”
Carpenter Pole and Piling produces utility poles and pilings for marine and foundation use.
The project includes construction of a new treatment plant, investment in a 2,600-cubic-foot autoclave and an alternative treatment option to improve production capacity.
The company is also clearing and preparing an additional 20 acres for a new pole storage yard.
Stone County is also contributing to the project.
The company expects to complete construction by September 2026.
The new roles are expected to be filled by January 2027.
Carpenter Pole and Piling specializes in the production of utility poles. It also manufactures foundation and marine pilings.
The new autoclave will increase production and add an alternative treatment option.
This story was created by business and development writer Ross Reily, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
Mississippi
CBSB: Southern Miss sweeps again, Mississippi State shines in Texas, Ole Miss struggles – SuperTalk Mississippi
Southern Miss earned its second consecutive sweep, rounding out a mostly successful weekend of college baseball for Mississippi’s major programs.
The No. 12 Golden Eagles (10-1), fresh off a mercy-rule victory over Alabama, exited a hostile Louisiana Tech environment with three straight wins versus a former conference counterpart. Christian Ostrander’s crew won 8-3 on Friday, cruised to an 11-0 run-rule victory through seven innings on Saturday, and was on the good side of a 6-2 scoreboard in Sunday’s finale.
A three-run bomb by Kyle Morrison in the top of the fourth of Friday’s game put the black and gold up 5-3, and solid pitching carried the team the rest of the way. A six-run top of the fourth of Saturday’s game, in part due to a Matthew Russo 2 RBI single, broke a scoring stalemate and fueled Southern Miss to a win in a shortened matchup. A two-run long ball by Joey Urban in the top of the ninth of Sunday’s battle gave the Golden Eagles a buffer that would not be eclipsed.
Kros Sivley (2-0) was Friday’s winning pitcher after logging a pair of strikeouts in 1.2 innings. Grayden Harris (2-0) got the win on Saturday after fanning five batters and surrendering no runs through six complete innings. Camden Sunstrom (1-0) closed out the finale with the win after striking out two batters and not giving up a hit or a run in the final two frames.
Mississippi State wins two in Texas
The No. 4 Bulldogs (11-1) had a solid weekend in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series. Brian O’Connor’s club handled the weekend test with an 8-4 win over Arizona State, a 15-8 victory over Virginia Tech, and a heartbreaking 8-7 extra-innings loss to No. 1 UCLA.
Mississippi State broke a scoring hiatus on Friday with a strong bottom of the fifth. A Bryce Chance RBI single scored the game’s first run, then a Gehrig Frei homer put the Bulldogs up 4-0. Three insurance runs were added in the next offensive frame, and Mississippi State did not look back. On Saturday, an Ace Reece longball gave the maroon and white a 4-0 lead in the top of the second. Virginia Tech chipped away, cutting the deficit to two runs, until a five-run top of the seventh put things out of reach.
Sunday’s finale was a battle between two teams vying for bragging rights as the nation’s best. The Bruins took an early 3-0 lead, but Mississippi State quickly countered. A two-run bomb by Reed Stallman and an RBI double by Ryder Woodson knotted things up 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth. The Bulldogs added a run in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings to lead 5-3.
A two-out home run by UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky tied the ballgame in the top of the ninth. Mississippi State, with runners on second and third and no outs in the bottom of the ninth, could not send a runner home. A wild pitch and a 2 RBI triple scored three Bruins in the top of the 10th. Stallman hit his second home run of the day to inch the Bulldogs within one run of their foe, but it was not followed up with more scoring.
Winning pitchers for Mississippi State this weekend were Ryan McPherson (2-0) and Tomas Valincius (3-0), while Ben Davis (0-1) was tabbed with the lone loss.
Ole Miss struggles in neutral-site tournament
In its first set of tests versus power conference opponents, the Rebels (10-2) struggled mightily, dropping two of three outings in the BRUCE BOLT College Classic. Mike Bianco’s club fell to Baylor 6-5 in extra innings on Friday before bouncing back on Saturday in an 8-0 win over Ohio State and suffering a 9-2 loss to Coastal Carolina in Sunday’s finale. Ole Miss was a combined 0-18 at the plate with runners in scoring position in the two losses.
Though the weekend didn’t play to the Rebels’ advantage, a few individual performers stood out. Murray State transfer Dom Decker, who entered his junior campaign without hitting a home run, hit three balls over the outfield wall at the Houston Astros’ Daikin Park. Hunter Elliott had a career-high 11 strikeouts on Friday, while Cade Townsend and Taylor Rabe collectively fanned 16 batters in Saturday’s shutout.
Next up
Southern Miss will play a pair of home midweek games, the first being against Mississippi State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and the second versus Nicholls on Wednesday at 6 p.m., before hosting North Alabama over the weekend.
Mississippi State will host Lipscomb over the weekend after facing the Golden Eagles.
Ole Miss will host Memphis on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and North Alabama on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., before welcoming Evansville for a weekend series.
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