In Brookhaven, Mississippi, on the afternoon of March 12, 2025, a violent altercation at the Cloverdale Apartments complex abruptly ended the life of 21-year-old Deleatric Quarles. Around 5:30 p.m., police responded to calls of shots fired in the 900 block of Williams Street. Quarles, a male, was found shot and was quickly transported to King's Daughters Medical Center for his injuries.
Despite the efforts of medical staff, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Brookhaven Police Department swiftly launched an investigation into the homicide. Early in the investigation, authorities identified a suspect, 30-year-old James Lewis Levi Jr., who was alleged to have shot and killed Quarles. Investigators also explored a potential link between the fatal shooting and a drive-by shooting that occurred the following morning on Ozark Lane, though no one was injured in that incident. With a suspect identified, law enforcement considered Levi to be armed and dangerous and sought public assistance in locating him.
A fugitive hunt for James Lewis Levi Jr. ensued, spanning beyond the borders of Mississippi. On Thursday, March 27, 2025, the search came to an end when Levi was located and apprehended in Atlanta, Georgia. His capture was the result of a collaborative effort between several law enforcement agencies, including the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Atlanta Police Department, and the Fulton County Sheriff's Office. Following his arrest, Levi was extradited back to Lincoln County, Mississippi, on Monday, March 31, to face legal proceedings in connection with the death of Deleatric Quarles.
