In the early hours of a Saturday in June 2024, the life of 24-year-old Brandon Michael Cartwright of Fruitdale, Alabama, was tragically cut short in a shooting in Waynesboro, Mississippi. The male victim was in the parking lot of the High Noon Lounge at approximately 2:00 a.m. on June 29th when the fatal incident occurred.
The Waynesboro Police Department, utilizing surveillance footage and witness accounts, quickly identified a suspect in the shooting. A few days later, on Monday afternoon, 24-year-old Jaylen Keonta Mayfield of Waynesboro turned himself into the authorities. The investigation suggested that the shooting stemmed from an altercation that took place in the parking lot of the establishment. Witnesses reported that the suspect fled the scene in a tan SUV, which was later discovered abandoned within the city.
Following Jaylen Mayfield's surrender, the investigation led to a second arrest. On Tuesday, his 24-year-old cousin, Richard 'Cheesy' Mayfield, also from Waynesboro, was taken into custody at his residence without incident. While Jaylen Mayfield faced a charge of first-degree murder, Richard Mayfield was charged with being an accessory after the fact.
During their initial court appearances, both men requested preliminary hearings. A judge set Jaylen Mayfield's bond at $1 million in cash, while Richard Mayfield's bond was set at $500,000. Both men were subsequently held at the Wayne County Detention Center. The community and Cartwright's family were left to mourn the loss of a young man who was a fiancé and a father to two young children, with a third child on the way.
