Shooting Leaves One Teenager Dead And Another Charged With Murder

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- A Winston County teenager is shot to death and the accused gunman is now in custody.

Coroner Scott Gregory said the victim in Tuesday’s homicide is 18-year-old Katavis Malik Miller of Noxapater.

Miller was a standout student-athlete at Noxapater High School where he starred on the football field as well as the basketball court.

He’d often receive cheers from the crowd for all of the big plays he was accustomed to making.

However, on Tuesday, the cheers suddenly turned into tears when the teen was tragically shot and killed.

“Today at approximately 10:37 (in the morning) that’s when the call came in to the deputies at the Winston County Sheriff Department,” said Sheriff Jason Pugh. “At around 2:45 this afternoon Mr. Jared Hannah of Louisville, Mississippi also age 18 was taken into custody.”

Hannah is being charged with murder.

The shooting happened on Young Crossing Road in Noxapater.

Sheriff Pugh said at this time the motive behind the shooting is unclear.

However, one thing investigators do know is that Miller and Hannah knew one another.

“There’s going to be no sinister motive in this,” said Pugh. “It appears to be a disagreement that went south quickly.”

“Looks like maybe 40 caliber handgun was used in it,” said Gregory.

Gregory said Miller received multiple gun shot wounds and had to be rushed to the hospital where he later died.

“From what I can tell it could be as many as two gunshot wounds,” the coroner said. “I do know that the fatal wound was in his upper chest area. Actually there was no exit wound, just an entrance wound.”

Just hours after the fatal shooting happened, investigators searched the area trying to locate a suspect and collect evidence.

Hannah was arrested on Odie Shields Road, not far from where the shooting happened.

“Our officers received some information that he might possibly be at a residence at the end of Odie Shields Road in our county,” the sheriff described. “They obtained permission from the homeowner to look in the residence and Mr. Hannah was hiding in the top of the closet.”

Sheriff Pugh said he doesn’t expect any more arrest to be made in connection to Tuesday’s homicide.

Hannah is expected to be arraigned on Tuesday.

We’re going to continue following this developing story, and we’ll bring you more information as it becomes available.