On the evening of July 11, 2025, in Robinsonville, Mississippi, a violent shooting shattered the quiet of a residence on Soleil Drive. When Tunica County Sheriff's deputies arrived around 7:06 p.m. following a 911 call reporting shots fired, they discovered a tragic scene with three individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. Thirty-year-old Nykeria Jude was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner.
Two other victims, a 24-year-old man and a 6-year-old girl, were critically
injured in the attack. Both were airlifted for emergency medical care, with the man taken to Regional One Health and the child flown to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. The young girl was later identified as Jude's daughter.
Authorities quickly identified 41-year-old Markell Braxton of Robinsonville as the suspect in the shooting. It was later revealed that Braxton was the father of Jude's child. A manhunt for Braxton, who was considered armed and dangerous, was immediately launched. The search involved the Tunica County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Marshals Service.
A few days later, the search for Braxton came to a somber end. His body was discovered in a wooded area behind the homes on Soleil Drive, not far from the scene of the shooting. Investigators believe his death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The discovery of Braxton's body closed the investigation into the death of Nykeria Jude, leaving a community to mourn the devastating consequences of domestic violence. In the wake of the tragedy, the injured 6-year-old girl was released from the hospital and received a police escort from multiple sheriff's offices as she went home with her grandparents.
