Daricka Moore, 24, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder over the deaths of six people in Mississippi.
Police allege Moore killed three relatives, a seven-year-old girl, and two other men, including a local pastor, across three locations.
Prosecutors say the case could be upgraded to capital murder, with the death penalty possible if Moore is deemed mentally competent.
Mississippi Man Charged With Killing Six, Including Child And Pastor
Authorities say the suspect carried out a series of fatal shootings across multiple locations in Clay County, with charges likely to be upgraded to capital murder.
Summary
A 24-year-old man has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder following the killing of six people, including a seven-year-old child and a pastor, in Clay County, Mississippi, authorities said on Saturday.
Daricka Moore was taken into custody late on the night of January 9 after a series of shootings at multiple locations, Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said during a press conference. Investigators allege that Moore fatally shot his father, brother and uncle at one location before stealing a truck and driving to a second site.
At the second location, Moore allegedly attempted to sexually assault a seven-year-old girl, a relative, before fatally shooting her. A subsequent 911 call led police to a third site, where two more men were found shot dead, one of whom was identified as a local pastor.
Moore was apprehended just before midnight without incident. Officials said the motive behind the killings remains unclear. “This is horrific — about as bad as it gets,” said district attorney Scott Colom, adding that the community has been deeply shaken by the violence.
Prosecutors indicated that the charges against Moore are likely to be upgraded to capital murder, which could carry the death penalty if he is found mentally competent to stand trial. Autopsies will be conducted by the Mississippi Crime Lab, and Moore is scheduled to make his first court appearance on January 12.
Clay County, located in northeastern Mississippi, has a population of roughly 20,000. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing as they work to piece together the events leading up to the killings.
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