On the evening of March 27, 2020, the life of John Michael Ross Berryman, a 21-year-old male from Booneville, Mississippi, was tragically cut short. Prentiss County 911 received a call regarding a disturbance involving weapons on Highway 364. When sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene, they discovered Berryman had sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was remembered by loved ones for his outgoing and contagious personality, his love for basketball and music, and the joy he found in spending time with his family and friends.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly, and law enforcement officials quickly identified several individuals believed to be involved. A multi-agency effort involving the Tupelo Police Department, Tupelo SWAT, Mississippi Highway Patrol, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Department led to the apprehension of the primary suspect, 18-year-old Trakendric Neal Young, at a Motel 6 in Tupelo. The investigation continued to unfold, leading to the arrests of four other Booneville teenagers: Jesse Dean Crabb, 18; Truth Davareus Brown, 17; Jacob Allen Gurley, 18; and Timothy Oneal Holloway, 19.
Following the arrests, the five young men were all charged with capital murder in connection with Berryman's death and were held without bond. A sixth individual, 46-year-old Constance Lashaun Hamlin, was also arrested and charged with accessory after the fact. It was alleged that Hamlin, the mother of one of the suspects, had transported her son to Tupelo following the shooting. Her bond was set at $10,000. The Prentiss County Sheriff's Department announced that all the cases would be presented to the next grand jury. However, publicly available online sources do not contain information regarding the outcomes of these grand jury proceedings or any subsequent trials, convictions, or sentencing for the six individuals charged.
