In the winter of 2020, the life of 16-year-old Madison Victoria 'Madi' Harris was tragically cut short in what began as a plan among teenagers to steal marijuana. On the afternoon of February 24, in her Biloxi, Mississippi home, a robbery attempt turned fatal, leading to a sprawling investigation that would untangle a web of betrayal by individuals she once considered friends. Madison, a female known for her infectious smile and love for cooking, music, and painting, was in a rear bedroom of the house with a male friend when the events unfolded.
Five teenagers, some of whom were reportedly neighbors and acquaintances of Madison, orchestrated the robbery. The group included two sisters, 17-year-old Yakeshia L. Blackmon and 15-year-old Willow O. Blackmon, along with 15-year-old Jasmine Joy-Sade Kelley, 17-year-old Jarvis Jermaine Cook, and 17-year-old Jaquez Devonte Porter. According to investigators, the plan involved some of the teens entering the house while others facilitated the robbery from outside. Two of the male teens appeared at the bedroom window, brandishing a gun and demanding entry. When the window would not open completely, the Blackmon sisters entered the bedroom, and the firearm was handed to Yakeshia through the window. A struggle for the gun ensued between Yakeshia and Madison's friend, during which the weapon discharged, striking Madison. The five teenagers then fled the scene. Emergency responders discovered Madison had been shot and transported her to a local hospital, where she later died during surgery.
The investigation was swiftly aided by footage from a Ring doorbell camera, which captured the suspects entering and leaving the residence. This evidence, combined with witness statements, led Biloxi police to identify and arrest all five teenagers. They were charged as adults with capital murder. The teens later admitted to police that their plan was to rob Madison of marijuana. The case revealed a chilling narrative of a setup, with one of the teens allegedly relaying information to the others from inside the house before the fatal confrontation.
The legal proceedings brought a measure of closure to Madison's grieving family and community. Four of the defendants pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Sisters Yakeshia and Willow Blackmon, along with Jasmine Kelley and Jarvis Cook, testified against Jaquez Porter at his trial. Yakeshia Blackmon, who had her hand on the gun when it fired, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and robbery and was sentenced to 40 years in prison, with 30 to serve. Jarvis Cook received a 43-year sentence for manslaughter and robbery, while Willow Blackmon was sentenced to 30 years and Jasmine Kelley to 20 years for the same charges. In April 2023, a jury convicted Jaquez Devonte Porter of capital murder, and he received a mandatory life sentence. The dramatic conclusion of his trial saw his grandmother arrested in court for allegedly threatening the judge after the sentence was announced.
