In the evening hours of April 15, 2023, a sense of disquiet settled over the 100 block of Briarfield Avenue in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was around 8:30 p.m. when the sound of gunfire shattered the night, prompting calls to the Biloxi Police Department. When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered a young man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
The victim was identified as 25-year-old Devodrick Tyreone Brister, a male resident of Biloxi. Emergency services transported him to a local hospital for treatment, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Those who knew him described Brister as an outgoing individual, a 'real people person' who would generously give the shirt off his back.
As the investigation into the fatal shooting commenced, detectives began to piece together the events of that night. Witnesses at the scene were able to identify a suspect, leading police to a nearby residence. There, they located and apprehended 30-year-old James Tarvis McMorris Jr. of Harvey, Louisiana.
McMorris was taken into custody and subsequently charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Devodrick Brister. He was transported to the Harrison County Adult Detention Center, where a Justice Court Judge set his bond at $500,000. The investigation into the circumstances that led to the fatal encounter is ongoing.
