In the early hours of a Sunday morning in McComb, Mississippi, the life of 29-year-old Jermonte Marquis Barnes of Jayess was tragically cut short. On May 18, 2025, Barnes was at the Youngstown Plaza on Summit-Holmesville Road when a gunman entered the nightclub as it was closing and shot him multiple times. The Pike County Coroner pronounced him dead at the scene from his injuries.
The male victim was born on October 22, 1995, in McComb.
The Pike County Sheriff's Department quickly identified 22-year-old Anthony Butler Jr. of McComb as the suspect in the fatal shooting. Authorities considered him armed and dangerous and began a search for his whereabouts. The investigation soon extended to Butler's family members, who were accused of aiding him after the shooting. His mother, 39-year-old Laterica Carr of McComb, was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact of first-degree murder and hindering prosecution. Investigators also began searching for his stepfather, 43-year-old Billy Dee Carr, believing he assisted Butler in hiding the weapon and leaving town.
After a manhunt that crossed state lines, Anthony Butler Jr. surrendered to authorities in Arlington, Texas, on the Tuesday following the shooting. He was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jermonte Marquis Barnes and was slated for extradition back to Pike County. On the same day as his surrender, investigators in McComb discovered a handgun in a ditch on Higgins Drive that they believe was the weapon used in the homicide. The firearm was sent for ballistic testing at a crime lab. The investigation into those who may have assisted Butler continued, with his stepfather also facing a charge of Accessory After the Fact to 1st Degree Murder. Months after the incident, the family of Jermonte Marquis Barnes expressed frustration to county officials, feeling they had been left uninformed about the progress of the case.
