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JACKSON, Miss. (BFMG) — Jackson’s police chief says a stolen police rifle is believed to have been used in a June triple homicide that left two women and a toddler dead, calling the discovery a “significant development” and vowing changes to department practices.
Police Chief Dr. RaShall Brackney said a preliminary investigation indicates a semi-automatic short-barrel rifle taken from a marked Jackson Police Department vehicle was among several firearms recovered during a recent traffic stop and is suspected of being the weapon used in the killings.
Brackney said the rifle was stolen roughly eight weeks ago during a series of vehicle burglaries at apartment complexes in Jackson. Suspects broke into marked units belonging to three different agencies, including JPD, and took the weapon from a SWAT officer’s vehicle, she said.
The officer reported the theft, the vehicle was processed, and the rifle was entered into the National Crime Information Center database, according to Brackney.
Investigators later stopped a vehicle carrying suspects Cornelious Carter and Mikala Young. Brackney said officers recovered multiple firearms during that stop, including the stolen rifle. Based on preliminary examination and evidence from the crime scene, investigators believe the rifle was used in the June 27 shooting that killed Keyana Weathersby, 25; Erica Weathersby, 30; and 2-year-old Camari Givens.
“While the analysis remains pending, the recovery of the stolen rifle is a significant development in the investigation and reinforces the serious public safety risks posed when firearms are stolen,” Brackney said. “However, the responsibility in this case for the senseless murder rests solely on the individuals who chose to engage in stealing the firearm and who chose to use it to commit those heinous crimes.”
Brackney said final confirmation analysis on the rifle is expected next week.
Jackson Mayor John Horhn called the apparent use of a stolen department weapon “unacceptable” and said JPD will review and change its practices to prevent similar incidents.
“As the chief stated, a weapon stolen from one of JPD’s vehicles may have been used in this crime. This is unacceptable, and the Jackson Police Department is not stepping away from that reality,” Horhn said. “We hold ourselves to a higher standard, and we’ll make changes necessary to ensure that this never happens again.”
Police said the triple homicide occurred at a home in the 300 block of Queen Alexandria Lane on June 27. Officers arrived to find the three victims shot multiple times.
Investigators said they initially sought a red 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage belonging to one of the victims in connection with the shooting. The vehicle was later found in Manhattan Park in North Jackson on June 28.
Brackney said officers received multiple tips from the public that helped them identify a suspects’ vehicle. On June 29, police spotted the vehicle on Highway 18 at Maddox Road. The driver initially refused to stop, but officers surrounded the vehicle and took Cornelious Carter and Jordan Carter into custody.
Police said Cornelious and Jordan Carter — who are not related — were both charged with capital murder. Cornelious Carter also faces a charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Both men made initial court appearances on June 30 and were denied bond.
A third suspect, Young, was arrested June 30 and booked into the Hinds County Detention Center on a capital murder charge. She appeared in court on July 1 and was also denied bond. Investigators allege Young drove Cornelious and Jordan Carter to the shooting location and knew the crime was intended as a robbery, but left when she heard gunfire.
Brackney said a fourth suspect, Devone Edward Modacure, was arrested in Texas. According to the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, Modacure was taken into custody July 1 in coordination with the U.S. Marshals Service and the Texas Department of Public Safety. He was arrested in the 1400 block of Kirkhill Lane in Forney.
Jail records in Kaufman County show Modacure is being held on a capital murder charge and is awaiting extradition to Mississippi.
Brackney said investigators believe the shooting was targeted and that the investigation remains ongoing.
