In the early evening of Friday, May 2, 2025, tragedy struck in Carthage, Mississippi, when 18-year-old Aquarion Conecin was fatally shot. The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot of a Discount Depot convenience store. First responders were dispatched to the scene at 5:39 p.m. following a report of a person being shot. Upon arrival, they discovered Conecin with a gunshot wound to his chest.
He was immediately transported to a nearby hospital, but tragically, he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
The Carthage Police Department promptly launched an investigation into the shooting. In the initial stages, authorities appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the identification and apprehension of a suspect. Their efforts quickly yielded a significant development in the case.
Within a day of the fatal shooting, an arrest was made. Leonard Black, a 27-year-old resident of Carthage, was taken into custody and charged with the murder of Aquarion Conecin. Following his arrest, Black was booked into the Leake County Correctional Facility. At the time of the initial reports, his bond had not yet been set as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the young man from Leake County continued.
