Zaelyn Braxton

Zaelyn Braxton was a 16-year-old from Gulfport, Mississippi, with an entrepreneurial spirit and plans for the future. Known to his loved ones by several nicknames including Zae Pooh, Spite, and Man-man, he had attended Central Middle School and was preparing to pursue his GED and a trade in construction to become an electrician. At just 15, he had started his own clothing line called “Lost Soul.”

In the early morning hours of February 12, 2024, Zaelyn’s life was cut short. Gulfport Police officers responded to a call about a shooting on Kenwood Drive at approximately 2:19 a.m. When they arrived, they found the young Black male deceased from multiple gunshot wounds in the doorway of a residence. The Harrison County Coroner’s Office later confirmed his identity.

The investigation quickly led police to three suspects. Using the victim’s phone and surveillance footage, detectives identified 18-year-old Elijah Lamar Eckford as the primary suspect. He was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Police also arrested two 21-year-olds, charging them as accessories after the fact. Tai'shawn Rashaud Holloway was accused of driving Eckford to and from the scene, while Christopher Dirrell Fletcher was accused of providing the firearm used in the shooting. Initially, investigators reported that the shooting stemmed from a verbal altercation over a ten-dollar vape pen.

The case against the shooter is now closed. Elijah Eckford pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and shooting into a dwelling. During his plea hearing, Eckford admitted that his initial story about the vape pen was a lie. He confessed to the court that his real reason for going to Zaelyn's home was to steal a gun that Zaelyn had displayed on social media. Eckford claimed that when Zaelyn retrieved the weapon, he heard a gunshot and then began firing at the teen as he ran away. A judge sentenced Eckford to serve a total of 35 years in prison, comprised of a 25-year sentence for murder and a 10-year sentence for shooting into a dwelling, to be served consecutively.