Murder charges dropped for two in Sharkey County case

VICKSBURG, Miss.(VDN) — Murder charges were dismissed Friday against two of three suspects in a Sharkey County killing, while bond was reduced for the remaining defendant, following a probable cause hearing in Warren County Circuit Court.

Nineteen-year-old Demario Conner Jr. was shot and killed Jan. 9, 2026. Demarious Jenkins, Jayson Thomas and Jeremy Pickett were initially charged with his murder. After testimony from the Sharkey County Sheriff’s Department failed to establish probable cause, Judge Toni Terrett ordered Jenkins and Pickett released and reduced Thomas’ bond to $100,000.

The hearing was held Friday morning with all three defendants appearing alongside their attorneys. Jenkins was represented by Marvin Sanders, Thomas by Leigh Anne Cade, and Pickett by Stan Perkins.

Sharkey County Investigator Raheem Kelly testified for the state, outlining the sequence of events leading to the shooting. Kelly said the incident stemmed from an earlier altercation in Hollandale, Mississippi, where Conner’s gun was allegedly stolen from his vehicle. According to Kelly, the situation escalated as the parties traveled from Hollandale to Rolling Fork and eventually to Anguilla, where Conner was fatally shot. Kelly identified Thomas as the shooter.

Defense attorneys presented a different account, arguing that the vehicle occupied by Jenkins, Thomas and Pickett came under gunfire from other individuals. Testimony alleged Thomas returned fire in self-defense from inside the vehicle, which Jenkins was driving and Pickett occupied as the front-seat passenger.

Perkins argued that Pickett never fired a weapon and should not have been charged with murder. He told the court that Pickett is a college student with a 3.5 grade point average and said Pickett and Conner were friends who had traveled together to a game earlier that day.

“These aren’t gangsters, these are high school graduates,” Perkins said.

Sanders argued that Jenkins’ role was limited to driving while the vehicle was being shot at and that the state presented no evidence tying his client to the killing. He said the only allegation against Jenkins was that he left the scene while under fire.

Cade challenged Kelly’s testimony, saying multiple witness statements were contradictory and inconsistent.

Further testimony explained that only the occupants of one vehicle were charged, while individuals in the other vehicle involved in the exchange of gunfire were not.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Terrett ruled there was insufficient probable cause to continue holding Jenkins and Pickett on murder charges. The murder charge against Thomas remains, though his bond was reduced from $750,000 to $100,000.

While the charges against Jenkins and Pickett were dismissed, prosecutors may still seek indictments against them through a grand jury at a later date.