In the quiet town of Aberdeen, Mississippi, the evening of December 5, 2023, was shattered by a single act of violence that claimed the life of 29-year-old Leviathan Oneal Troope. Known to his friends and family as 'Kang,' Troope was a Black male remembered for his kind and vibrant soul, a man whose infectious smile could brighten any room. On that Tuesday night, under the streetlights at the corner of Drake and Wasson Street, Troope was helping a friend tint the windows of a car. He was standing outside, holding a light for the person working inside the vehicle, when the fatal encounter occurred.
A figure, his face obscured by a ski mask, approached the pair and asked for a ride. When they declined, the stranger pulled out a firearm and fired a single shot, striking Troope in the head before fleeing the scene. Officers from the Aberdeen Police Department responded to the scene around 10 p.m. to find Troope lying in the street behind a vehicle, deceased from the gunshot wound. Police Chief Quinell Shumpert stated that the attack was not a random act and that the suspect likely knew the victim.
The investigation into Troope's death led to the arrest of three individuals. In late December, 18-year-old Theodis Reese was taken into custody and charged with accessory to murder. Reports indicated that an ankle monitor Reese was wearing placed him at the scene at the time of the shooting. The following month, on January 23, 2024, the Aberdeen Police Department announced two more arrests in connection with the murder. Antonio Sacus, 29, and 16-year-old Myles Ewing were both arrested and charged with murder.
The community mourned the loss of Leviathan Troope, who was born on October 24, 1994, in Amory, Mississippi. He was a father, leaving behind a beloved daughter. Funeral services were held on December 17, 2023, at the New Hebron Missionary Baptist Church in Aberdeen, where family and friends gathered to honor his memory. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have encouraged anyone with information to come forward.
