In the late afternoon of September 28, 2024, the sound of gunfire shattered the peace at an apartment complex on Constance Lane in Columbus, Mississippi. When police officers arrived around 3:23 p.m., they discovered two teenagers suffering from gunshot wounds. One of the victims was 16-year-old Marquez Kentrell “MJ” Carter Jr., a male student from Columbus High School. Despite the officers' attempts to render aid, including chest compressions until paramedics arrived, Carter was pronounced dead at the scene. The second victim, a 17-year-old, was transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle for treatment of his injuries and was later released.
Marquez was a beloved student at his high school, where he was an active member of the baseball team and the Columbus Kappa League. His sudden and violent death sent ripples of grief through the community. In the days that followed, his fellow students at Columbus High School held a memorial ceremony and balloon release to honor his memory, remembering a young life cut tragically short. Funeral services for Carter were later held at Greater Mt. Zion Church, where family and friends gathered to pay their final respects.
The investigation into the shooting quickly began to yield results. Investigators determined that the two teens were together when a vehicle pulled up and shots were fired. Within days of the incident, on September 30, the Columbus Police Department arrested 19-year-old Jakody Moore. He was charged with murder in connection with Marquez Carter Jr.'s death and aggravated assault for the wounding of the second teen. Moore was subsequently held at the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center. The police also released a photo of a second person of interest they were seeking to identify.
The search for the second individual involved in the shooting continued for several weeks. In late November, police publicly identified LaRon S. Baity, 18, as the second suspect and issued a warrant for his arrest, seeking the public's help in locating him. The investigation had revealed that Moore and Baity allegedly drove to Constance Lane and opened fire on the victims. The case saw a significant development on December 5, when Larone Scott Baity turned himself in to the Columbus Police Department. He was subsequently charged with murder for his role in the death of Marquez Carter Jr. and taken into custody at the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center to await his initial court appearance.
