On the night of November 10, 2023, in Robinsonville, Mississippi, the life of 23-year-old Steven Dewayne Burts was tragically cut short. He was discovered deceased inside a vehicle that had crashed into a pole on Casino Center Drive. Burts, a Black male, was not alone; with him were 24-year-old Deshun Montarrio Isabell and 25-year-old Tednequa Tenice Moore, who was pregnant at the time. The vehicle was riddled with bullet holes, a clear indication that the occupants had been fired upon before the fatal crash. The Tunica County Sheriff's Office immediately launched a triple homicide investigation.
The investigation led to the arrest of 18-year-old Deonte Carnell Taylor of Tunica on November 22, 2023. He was charged with three counts of capital murder, four counts of shooting into a motor vehicle, and four counts of conspiracy to commit a crime. Taylor was held without bond. As the investigation continued, a second suspect was identified. On April 12, 2024, 20-year-old Anthony Carter Jr., also known as 'A.J.,' was charged in the quadruple homicide, which included the death of Moore's unborn child. His charges included four counts of capital murder, four counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, one count of drive-by shooting, and one count of shooting into a motor vehicle.
Further investigation revealed a history of violence leading up to the fatal incident. Carter was allegedly involved in separate drive-by shootings targeting both Burts and Isabell in October and November of 2023. At the time of his arrest for the homicides, Carter was already in custody for the attempted murder of two other individuals in April 2023 and faced additional charges related to firearms and controlled substances. The Tunica County Sheriff’s Office has indicated that the investigation is ongoing and that more arrests are anticipated.
