On a Sunday morning in January 2019, Pastor Anthony Finch Longino, a 62-year-old male, arrived at New Bethany Missionary Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, to prepare for the day's services. As he was unlocking the church doors, he was confronted by multiple individuals with the intent to rob him. In the course of the robbery, Pastor Longino was shot and killed. His body was discovered just outside the entrance to the church.
The assailants fled the scene, stealing the pastor's 2018 Dodge Ram pickup truck. The violent death of the beloved pastor sent shockwaves through the local community, prompting calls for an end to the city's rising violence.
The Jackson Police Department quickly launched an investigation into the senseless killing. Acting on tips from the community, the Jackson-Hinds SWAT team identified and apprehended the first suspect, 22-year-old Marquez Hamilton, later the same day. Following his arrest, Hamilton confessed to his involvement in the murder and robbery. He also implicated three other individuals in the crime. This led to the subsequent arrests of Morgan Quinn, 19, Darren Clark, and Bernard Randall. All four men were initially charged with capital murder, armed robbery, auto theft, and conspiracy.
The legal process for those responsible for Pastor Longino's death began to unfold. In October 2021, Morgan Quinn appeared in court. His capital murder charge was reduced to second-degree murder and aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison, with 10 years suspended, to be followed by five years of supervised probation. He also received a concurrent 20-year sentence for the aggravated assault charge. The cases against the other co-defendants, Marquez Hamilton, Darren Clark, and Bernard Randall, were also set to proceed through the justice system to hold them accountable for their roles in the tragic death of Pastor Anthony Finch Longino.
