In the spring of 2021, the life of 30-year-old Laquilla “Sally” Clark, a Black/African American female, was tragically cut short in Starkville, Mississippi. On the evening of March 17, deputies from the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence on Hickory Grove Road following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered Clark suffering from a single gunshot wound.
Despite the efforts of law enforcement to render aid, she succumbed to her injuries at her home.
The investigation into Clark's death moved swiftly, and within two days, authorities had a suspect in custody. Alexis Sanders, then 23 years old and a resident of Canton, was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting. The inquiry continued, leading to a second arrest in April of the following year. Rymeesha Coggins, 23, of Starkville, was taken into custody and charged with accessory after the fact to murder, adding another layer to the tragic narrative of Clark's untimely death.
The legal proceedings that followed brought a measure of closure to the case. In October 2022, Alexis Sanders pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder and received a sentence of 32 years in prison for his role in Laquilla Clark's death. That same month, Rymesha Coggins also entered a guilty plea to the charge of accessory after the fact to murder. For her involvement, she was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison.
