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3 face murder charges in Mississippi for Southern student who disappeared before custody hearing

4 months 2 weeks 2 days ago Friday, July 26 2024 Jul 26, 2024 July 26, 2024 5:58 PM July 26, 2024 in News
Source: WBRZ

WOODVILLE, Miss. — A trio—including an ex-girlfriend—who allegedly plotted to kill a former Southern University sophomore found shot dead, now face murder charges in western Mississippi, the Wilkinson County Sheriff said Friday.

Derek Terrell Hollins Jr., 21, Calajia Jack, 20, and Allyah Martin, 21, each face first-degree murder charges in Wilkinson County, where a body believed to be Steven Harris was found shot.

The three suspects were arrested on conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in West Feliciana Parish on Thursday, where they are currently being held as they await extradition proceedings to face their murder charges in Mississippi, Wilkinson County deputies said.

The body found on Tuesday has not been positively identified as Harris, but investigators said they are confident in their assessment that the body is Harris after discussions with his family. 

The Wilkinson County Coroner's Office has not yet conducted an autopsy, saying that they are waiting on a DNA sample from Harris' family. 

In Louisiana, 20th District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla said there is no plan to call for a grand jury in this case, as he plans to charge all three individuals involved.

Earlier in the week, West Feliciana Parish Sheriff Brian Spillman said that his office found evidence that the trio of suspects conspired to lure Harris to Mississippi and kill him.

"We believe the plan to commit this crime was hatched here, and the initial phases leading up to Steven’s death began here in West Feliciana Parish," Spillman said.

One of the suspects, Martin, was dating Harris and had a child with him. The pair had a history of filing restraining orders against one another, each alleging physical abuse on the other's behalf, court records show.

The pair ultimately settled on joint custody with their son mostly living with Martin and having visitation with Harris. He later filed a complaint asking that she be held in contempt because she had moved to Texas without notifying him, violating their custody agreement which required notification of any move of more than 50 miles.

According to Harris' family, he went missing a little over a week before a Thursday custody hearing where he was eager to keep fighting for the full custody of his son. Harris' son is currently living with Harris' parents, they told WBRZ.

Harris' mother Lasonia already had suspicions of Martin when Allyah told her that her son was at the same location where his cell phone last pinged. Only Lasonia, her husband and the police knew of the last location, adding that her son and Martin weren't on speaking terms when he disappeared.

Despite Southern University saying that there are no university or student-planned memorials for Harris, the Southern University Marching Band—The Human Jukebox—extended their condolences to his family.

"Steven was not just a bandmate; he was part of our family, and his memory will always hold a special place in our hearts," a post from Thursday said.

The family started a GoFundMe for offsetting funeral costs and helping the family raise Harris' son. That link can be accessed here.

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