On the final night of the year, a burst of gunfire shattered the late-evening quiet at a Shell gas station on Highway 17 in Pickens, Mississippi. The altercation, which erupted around 11 p.m. on December 31, 2024, resulted in the death of 19-year-old Demarion Sly, a male resident of the area. Another young man, 21-year-old Brian Grisby Jr., was also killed in the shootout, his body discovered near the front door of the convenience store.
A third person, a woman, was grazed by a bullet during the incident but survived.
Emergency services were dispatched to the chaotic scene. Sly, having sustained critical injuries, was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced dead. The violent encounter left the local community unsettled as it marked a tragic end to the year and the beginning of a double homicide investigation led by the Holmes County Sheriff's Department.
In the days that followed the deadly New Year's Eve shooting, investigators worked to piece together the events that led to the violence. Their efforts soon led to the identification and arrest of four suspects. The individuals taken into custody were 19-year-old Amari Ward, 20-year-old Amante Ward, 23-year-old Jamal Sly, and 21-year-old Sendarius Craft. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive for the killings.
Following their arrests, all four men were charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Demarion Sly and Brian Grisby Jr. For three of the suspects, bond was set at one million dollars each, representing half a million dollars for each murder charge. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shootout is ongoing.
