In the small city of Itta Bena, Mississippi, a tragic event unfolded on November 10, 2023, forever altering the lives of two families. On that day, 25-year-old Zarquavious Sanders, a Black male, and 26-year-old Cordarius Arterberry were sitting together in a parked car outside a local barber shop on County Road 507. The quiet scene was shattered by the sound of gunfire, and both men were fatally shot.
The vehicle they occupied, now marked with bullet holes, had also collided with another car in the parking lot, though the specific details of this collision remain unclear.
In the immediate aftermath of the double homicide, the Itta Bena police moved swiftly and arrested 25-year-old Andraus L. Griggs. He was charged with two counts of murder and possession of a weapon by a felon and was subsequently booked into the Leflore County Jail. The community and the grieving families hoped for a swift path to justice as the legal process began to unfold.
However, the case took an unexpected turn during a preliminary hearing in January 2024. After reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecution, Leflore County Court Judge James Littleton made the decision to dismiss the murder charges against Griggs, citing a lack of probable cause. This development left the investigation into the deaths of Zarquavious Sanders and Cordarius Arterberry open and unresolved. As of now, no new suspects have been identified or arrested in connection with the killings, leaving a void in the hearts of their loved ones who continue to seek answers and justice for their profound loss.
