Double Homicide in Cary; Still No Arrest 15 years later

Back in 2009, tragedy struck the small town of Cary, Mississippi. On the morning of September 23, 31-year-old Karitha Carroll and her 3-year-old daughter, Jamaya, were found stabbed to death in their home.

15 years later, the murder case remains unsolved and Karitha’s two surviving children, who were living with their grandmother at the time of the murder, continue to search for answers.

The night before

The night before the murder, Karitha spent time watching her son play in a football game at South Delta Middle School. That would be the last time Karitha would be seen alive. 

Karitha did not show up for work, after failed attempts to reach Karitha, her uncle, Tony Stamps, paid a visit to her home. Inside, Stamps discovered Karitha’s bloodied body lying on the floor while a slain Jamaya was lying across the bed. 

The Sharkey County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene along with former Coroner Angelia Eason.

Witnesses to the scene

Witnesses to the scene, including Karitha’s daughter, Kaneisha, indicated that things were not properly handled due to multiple individuals going in and out of the house. Earlier reports mentioned that Karitha was stabbed multiple times to the front of her body which included her chest and throat. Multiple defensive wounds were also found on her arms indicating that Karitha attempted to fight off her attacker.

The murderer not only killed Karitha in a vicious way, but 3-year-old Jamaya had slash wounds on her arm and throat as well. According to the coroners report, the two were dead for at least 12 hours when they were found.

Law enforcement believed Karitha knew her attacker because she wouldn’t just let anyone inside her home and that she was killed in the bedroom. There was no forced entry into her home but signs of a struggle were present, including a lamp that lay on the floor next to Karitha’s body.

No arrests made

Although the double homicide was a top-priority case, no arrests were immediately made. As time passed, the case eventually grew cold while the Sharkey County Sheriff’s Department along with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation started looking into into it as, incredibly, a possible murder-suicide.

In order for this to be a murder-suicide, authorities would have to entertain the idea that Karitha would have had to slash her child’s throat, and then stab herself multiple times in the chest with a knife before slitting her own throat.

Three years later

It wasn’t until three years after the murder when authorities arrested three people. Shawn Waller, of Cary, Stephanie Ann Smith, of Jackson, and Josephine Warren, of Rolling Fork were all charged with murder. A jailhouse confession from Warren led the the arrest but just a year later, she recanted her statement and all three were released.

15 years later

Nearly 15 years later the double murder and the case remains unsolved. Karitha’s surviving children are still seeking answers on who killed their mother.

Karitha’s daughter, Kaneisha, believes that the killer/killer could be someone in the family or close to the family.

The Investigation Continues

Who killed Karitha and Jamaya? Rumors were spreading around town that Karitha came into some money, was that a factor? Was there a secret fatal attraction as some close to Karitha have suggested?

VDN be continue its investigation and will also speak more with Karitha’s family.