Murder of South Mississippi teen revealed by doorbell camera, says family

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – The family of the 16-year-old girl who was murdered in her home Monday say their Ring doorbell shows the five suspects entering and leaving the house.

Madison Harris was shot in her grandparent’s Biloxi home on the afternoon of Feb. 24, 2020. Five teens were later charged with capital murder in her death.

James Waldeck, who is engaged to Madison’s grandmother and lives in the house where the murder took place, said he learned something was wrong when his Ring Doorbell app showed an ambulance at their home.

According to him, the camera at the garage door revealed much more about what happened in his home.

“Madison was here with her very good friend Paul, and her dad was in the back yard raking leaves,” Waldeck said. “One girl came in, I saw on the Ring Doorbell about a half-hour before. And then, according to my Ring Doorbell, four of them charged in an unlocked door here at the carport. And within a matter of ten seconds, the shooting and screaming, and then them running out the door being chased by Paul, her friend, and then her dad.”

Madison had lived with in the house with Waldeck, her grandmother, and her dad for the last four years ever since her parents divorced.

Five teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17 were charged with capital murder in Madison’s death. Waldeck said Madison considered some of those suspects friends.

“They were in our house a number of different times, I thought as friends, yes,” Waldeck. “They just lived two or three houses down and across the street.”

But Waldeck said something changed.

“We think they were involved in a burglary at the house two weeks ago,” Waldeck said. “Of course, the police were called and we were pressing charges against that first crime, and we’re afraid this may have been retaliation against us reporting their crime.”

After the burglary, Madison’s family was worried about another break-in and took special precautions.

“We screwed the window shut so they couldn’t get in there,” Waldeck said. “We put deadbolts on the doors so that they had to be locked with a key to get in or out, but the carport door was unlocked and that’s where they made their way in.”

Biloxi police have said the suspects were attempting to rob Madison but Waldeck said he thinks the teens came in with the plan to murder Madison.

“Premeditation. Definitely. ‘Cause the video doorbell lasts 15 seconds or 30 seconds for them to come in, shoot. You hear screaming, then everybody running out the door,” Waldeck said.

Now, Madison’s family and friends are struggling with grief as they try to understand why their child was taken from them.

A candlelight vigil will be held for Madison Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Biloxi Lighthouse.