In the small town of Georgetown, Mississippi, a family bond was tragically broken by violence, leaving a community in shock and a family grappling with an unthinkable loss. James Chris Collins, a 46-year-old Black man, was shot and killed on October 17, 2023. The quiet of a Tuesday morning on Rail Road Avenue was shattered by the sound of gunfire, and when deputies arrived, they found Collins deceased at the scene.
The initial investigation quickly led to a suspect who was unnervingly
close to the victim. James's own cousin, 23-year-old Tyrekennel Collins, was taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. He was subsequently charged with murder and held at the Copiah County Detention Center. While the arrest brought a swift, albeit somber, development to the case, the motive behind the tragic altercation between the cousins has not been publicly disclosed by authorities, leaving a painful void of unanswered questions for their family and the community.
The narrative took another dramatic turn months later. While being held at the Claiborne County Detention Center, Tyrekennel Collins, along with another inmate, managed to escape on July 5, 2024. Their freedom was short-lived, however, as law enforcement successfully located and recaptured both escapees the very next day.
Despite the arrest and subsequent recapture, the legal proceedings for the murder of James Chris Collins have been slow to unfold. As of the latest available information, Tyrekennel Collins is still awaiting trial for the murder of his cousin. The community of Georgetown, and the family torn apart by this tragedy, await the conclusion of the criminal justice process, hoping for closure and answers in the senseless death of James Chris Collins.
