In the fall of 2020, the life of a young Vicksburg, Mississippi man was cut short by violence. A'Treio Markis Richards, a 19-year-old Black male, was fatally shot on the evening of Friday, November 6, 2020. The incident that claimed his life unfolded on Elizabeth Circle, marking a grim milestone as the city's 10th homicide of the year. The community was left to mourn the loss of a young life, with a celebration of his life being held later that month at the Vicksburg City Auditorium where
family and friends gathered to honor his memory.
The roots of this tragedy can be traced back to an altercation that occurred a month prior. Reports indicate that the shooting stemmed from a fight that had taken place at a local establishment, LD's Kitchen, on October 6, 2020. On the night of the fatal incident, Vicksburg Police were dispatched to Elizabeth Circle around 8:50 p.m., where they discovered Richards suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite any medical intervention, he succumbed to his injuries, a victim of the escalating dispute.
In the days following the shooting, the investigation progressed quickly, leading to an arrest. On November 9, 2020, authorities took 32-year-old Cornell Antonio Miles, a resident of Vicksburg, into custody in connection with Richards' murder. Miles was subsequently charged with homicide and a weapons offense. During his court appearance before Judge Angela Carpenter, his bond was set at a substantial $2,000,000 for the homicide charge and an additional $30,000 for the weapons charge. Following this initial hearing, Miles was bound over to the Warren County Grand Jury, signaling the next step in the legal process intended to bring a measure of justice for A'Treio Markis Richards and his grieving family.
