In the summer of 2024, the life of 20-year-old Steven Harris IV was tragically cut short in what authorities believe was a premeditated plot. A sophomore and talented musician in the renowned 'Human Jukebox' marching band at Southern University, Harris was reported missing by his family on July 17. His disappearance was alarming as he was scheduled to appear in court the very next day for a custody hearing concerning his young son.
The young father, who was studying criminal justice, never made it to that hearing.
The search for Harris came to a grim conclusion on July 23, when his body was discovered in a rural area of Wilkinson County, Mississippi. An autopsy revealed he had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and it appeared his body had been there for nearly a week. Investigators soon pieced together a sinister narrative, suggesting that Harris had been intentionally lured from his home in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, across state lines to the location where he was ultimately killed.
Authorities moved swiftly, and three individuals were arrested in connection with the homicide. The suspects were identified as Allyah Martin, 21, who is the mother of Harris's child; Derek Terrell Hollins Jr., 21; and Calajia Jack, 20. Investigators believe the trio conspired to kill Harris, with the plan being orchestrated in Louisiana before being carried out in Mississippi. According to law enforcement, the motive was tied to the contentious child custody battle between Harris and Martin.
Following their arrests, Martin, Hollins, and Jack faced charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in Louisiana. In Mississippi, where the murder occurred, they face charges of first-degree murder. Hollins was also charged with possession of a machine gun. The legal process is underway to bring the three suspects to trial for their alleged roles in the death of the young student and father, with authorities from both states collaborating to ensure justice is served. A trial for all three suspects has been scheduled in West Feliciana Parish.
