Verona Teenager Sought In Fatal Drive By Shooting

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The search is on for a suspect in a fatal drive by shooting in Lee County.  

Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson says 17 year old Latavious Betts is suspected of pulling the trigger in Friday’s fatal drive by shooting. 

“There were multiple shots fired,” said Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson.

It was around 3 Friday afternoon when Sheriff Johnson says a dark colored car traveling west on County Road 45, stopped in front of a mobile home, and opened fire. Annie Walton, 66, who lived at the home, was sitting on her couch and was hit by gunfire.  

She died at NMMC.  

Three others were also shot.  

Two were treated at the scene, another taken to NMMC and is expected to survive. In all, 8 people were inside the mobile home, including two children. 

The sheriff says Betts was after a male who was staying at the home.

“It’s not a situation where someone was randomnly  driving by shooting different houses and this happened to be one that was hit, this was a targeted location and person who did the shooting targeted, we know the motive was between these two individuals, the purpose behind it, we are a lot of times not privvy to that information,” Sheriff Johnson said.

Betts is well known to authorities, he faces a murder charge in connection with a drive by fatal shooting at a Verona car wash in April.  In July, he was arrested for taking part in a shooting at a Verona convenience store.

 When he had his last scheduled court date, he didn’t show up.

“You had a violent individual that was incarcerated, I understand the right to make bond, but there has to be some line drawn between people out here in the general public trying to live and work and do what’s right and protecting those people. This is a prime example of , you’ve allowed a 17 year old to make bond, hoping he will show up for a murder charge, now, not only has he committed another one, but we’re looking for him again,” the sheriff said. 

Anyone with information on Betts’ whereabouts should call authorities.

 He is considered armed and dangerous.