Vicksburg man convicted of killing his grandmother loses his appeal

A man convicted of killing his grandmother in Warren County has lost his appeal in the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Samuel Hunter Anderson was convicted in 2021 for shooting and killing his 71-year-old grandmother Evelyn Davenport in 2020. He was handed a life sentence  by Judge Toni Terrett.

Anderson made the argument that the court should not have allowed the state to submit evidence that he was high on methamphetamine and that they did not allow him to submit a jury instruction allowing for an accidental homicide.

“Anderson’s drug use – and his own claim that he was high… at the time of the incident – was a fact relevant to his state of mind and motive,” justices wrote. “Further, it was ‘necessary so as to complete a story for the jury as to the events leading up to the alleged [shooting].’”

Davenport was transported to UMMC after being shot by Anderson. She had over 50 shotgun pellets in her abdomen. Hunter claimed that Davenport snatched the gun which is what cause it to fire. She died 13 days after the shooting.

Since his appeal was denied, Anderson will have to continue serving his life sentence in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.