In the late hours of May 30, 2019, the lives of 27-year-old Serena Madkins and 28-year-old Antonio Gipson were tragically cut short in a violent encounter within a Horn Lake, Mississippi apartment. The female victim and Gipson were discovered shot to death inside a residence at the Desoto Apartments on Sutton Place at approximately 9:30 p.m. A baby was also found in the apartment, physically unharmed, and was subsequently released to family members.
The initial investigation by Horn Lake
Police pointed towards a home invasion. The events of that evening began to unfold as a guest in the apartment, Artavis Pimpton, recounted the moments leading up to the fatal incident. Pimpton had been staying with Gipson for about ten days and was watching a basketball game with him when Gipson went to the bathroom. Shortly after, a knock at the door preceded the tragic events that would leave two dead.
The investigation led to the indictment of three individuals by a DeSoto County grand jury: Marshon Cortez Diming, Jamoni Diming, and James Jakes. They faced a litany of charges, including conspiracy to commit armed robbery, the capital murder of both Madkins and Gipson, and the attempted murder of Artavis Pimpton and a minor.
Marshon Cortez Diming was tried separately and ultimately found guilty on all counts. For the capital murder convictions, he received two sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Additionally, he was sentenced to five years for the conspiracy charge and twenty years for the attempted murder convictions, bringing a measure of legal closure to a brutal and senseless crime that shook the community.
