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NATCHEZ — One of the suspects charged with a double murder on Dec. 11, 2024, and who has been named a suspect in a shooting that killed one other person on New Year’s Eve had been released from jail less a month prior as charges against him in a 2019 murder case were dropped.

Adams County District Attorney Tim Cotton said Monday that the dismissal of charges against Jeremiyah Clark, 23, for the 2019 murder of Scottie Rodgers was “unavoidable” when Cotton reviewed the case after taking office.

“There was a reason for dismissal. Additional parties had to be named in that particular case,” he said, adding that the 2019 case is to be re-presented to a grand jury with additional defendants named, including Clark.

“That’s not something I have a choice over — whether someone is released or not,” he said. “The unpopular side of it is you have additional people essential to be in it looking at the case file when we assumed office. It’s unavoidable. It was an impossible position.”

Cotton said he is unable to elaborate further on pending cases but regarding the recent shooting on New Year’s Eve said, “We’re pursuing it in every way we can. We’ve been talking to law enforcement every day and night since New Year’s Eve and working with them on this case.”

Clark, along with Aereia Hearron, 28, and Darryl Hurts Jr., 26, were taken into custody on Jan. 1 at a Vicksburg hotel for questioning regarding a Dec. 31, 2024, shooting on Finger Lane off of Lower Woodville Road in Adams County. One victim, Keyuan King, was killed in that shooting and at least four other people were sent to the hospital. More victims on scene had refused medical treatment at the time, Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said after the incident, calling it the “largest shooting that possibly the county has ever seen.”

No one has been formally charged with the shooting on New Year’s Eve, but after questioning the three arrested in Warren County were charged with a shooting being investigated by Natchez Police Department that happened around midnight on Dec. 11, 2024, near Susie B. West Elementary School.

That shooting killed 39-year-old Keitra McDonald and 43-year-old Londell Williams and injured a third person whose name was not released.

Hearron is charged with accessory after the fact of murder and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon; Hurts Jr. is charged with accessory after the fact of murder, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and an MDOC probation violation; and Clark is charged with two counts of murder and one count attempted murder for the Dec. 11 shooting.

“Our guys have been working closely with the sheriff’s office to determine exactly who’s connected and how it’s connected,” Natchez Police Chief Cal Green said of the two December 2024 shootings. She would not elaborate on the motive at this time, and said, “we’re still sifting through the pieces.”

Of the trio being in custody, she said, “It’s a weight off of my mind and a weight off of the families. This had us looking over our shoulders for a while.”

Another city shooting occurred on New Year’s Day on Dumas Drive claimed the life of 21-year-old Jalen Griffin. Another individual was injured and taken to the hospital, Green said, adding it is believed that the two were shooting at each other.

Green said Monday, “That’s all that we have at this time,” adding there is no connection between this shooting and the New Year’s Eve case in the county.