In the late hours of December 27, 2020, the life of 22-year-old Jahtarreon Fulgham was tragically cut short in a drive-by shooting in Meridian, Mississippi. A Black male, Fulgham was driving his vehicle and had stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of Highway 45 and Highway 39 after leaving a local nightclub and making a stop at a convenience store. It was at this intersection, at approximately 1:45 a.m., that a dark-colored, four-door car, possibly an Impala with tinted windows, pulled up alongside his vehicle. Occupants of the other car then opened fire.
A passenger in Fulgham's car ducked to avoid the gunfire, but Fulgham was struck in the head. The suspect's vehicle fled the scene, heading north on Highway 45. In a desperate attempt to get help, the passenger took control of the vehicle and tried to drive to a hospital but wrecked the car in the process. Emergency services were called, and Jahtarreon Fulgham was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his gunshot wound.
The investigation into the murder of Jahtarreon Fulgham involved a collaborative effort from multiple law enforcement agencies. For a time, the case went cold, but authorities continued to seek new evidence and witness testimony. The persistence of the Meridian Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, eventually led to the identification of three suspects.
In a significant break in the case on July 28, 2022, one of the main suspects, 30-year-old SanMarco V. Houston, was located and arrested at a hotel in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. His arrest was the result of a joint operation involving the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Marshals Service-Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Meridian Police Department. Just two days prior to Houston's apprehension, two other suspects, 19-year-old Kedarius Stribling and 20-year-old Kendarius Ruffin, were taken into custody in Meridian. All three men were charged with murder and drive-by shooting in connection with Fulgham's death. Houston was held without bond awaiting extradition back to Mississippi, while the bonds for Stribling and Ruffin were each set at $1 million.
