One murder suspect free on bond, two see charges dropped

Published 5:53 pm Friday, November 15, 2024

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NATCHEZ — Three men who have been charged with murder in separate cases have been released from Adams County custody.

Kadeem Rykeim Conner, 26, is charged with two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder in the May 5, 2023, gang-style shooting in the strip mall on D’Evereux Drive.

Travione Jones, 19, and Devon Winchester, also 19, were gunned down in a hail of bullets after exiting a car in the parking lot of the strip mall behind Popeye’s on D’Evereux Drive. The shooters, suspected of using an assault-type weapon, fired from outside Cash Savers supermarket, killing Jones and Winchester and injuring three others. Police recovered dozens of shell casings from the shooting.

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Sixth Circuit District Attorney Tim Cotton said Friday morning that Conner’s attorneys filed a habeas motion because of the length of time Conner has been incarcerated without being indicted.

“That would entitle him to a bond reduction,” Cotton said. “The only reason he would be out of custody now is if he made bond.”

Cotton inherited the case when he took office in January 2024. He said Conner’s case has been presented to grand juries several times “pending final results from lab testing.” He said he does not know when those lab results will be available.

When he was originally arrested, Conner was ordered held without bond. His bond was reduced to $300,000 on June 18. Circuit Court Judge Debra Blackwell refused to reduce the bond further at a hearing on Oct. 7.

Two people put up property bonds for the $300,000 and Conner was released on Thursday.

In another inherited case, Cotton dismissed the indictment against Jeremiyah Clark and Jalin Johnson, who were charged with murdering Scottie Rodgers and aggravated assault in the shooting of another person on Oct. 2, 2019.

“When I got the Scottie Rodgers case and reviewed it, it was evident that there are people involved who have not been charged, people who had more involvement than some who were charged,” Cotton said.

He said the entire indictment against Clark, who was 18 when arrested and charged, and Johnson, who was 17, was nolle prossed, meaning it was thrown out or dismissed.

“We have worked with the family along with law enforcement and they are in agreement that additional individuals need to be named and charged for us to have a complete case,” Cotton said.