In the late summer of 2017, the town of Kosciusko, Mississippi, was rocked by a violent act that claimed the life of a local man. On the first day of September, 61-year-old Billy Ray Johnson, a male, was subjected to a brutal shooting. He was not the only victim of the attack; a 47-year-old woman was also shot multiple times alongside him. The two were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention, but Johnson's injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead by the Attala County coroner.
The investigation into the double shooting led by the Kosciusko Police Department quickly identified two suspects. A few days later, on September 6, Albert Mallet, 51, and Eris Moore, 26, both residents of West, Mississippi, were apprehended. Their arrests brought a swift turn in the case, moving it from an active investigation to the beginnings of a legal process. Both men faced serious charges for their alleged involvement in the violent encounter that ended one life and forever altered another.
The legal ramifications for the two accused men were significant. Mallet was charged with a slate of offenses, including murder, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and possession of a stolen firearm. Moore was also charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. In the wake of their arrests, a judge set their bonds at substantial amounts, with Mallet's at $425,000 and Moore's at $375,000, reflecting the gravity of the crimes they were accused of committing. The investigation into the shooting was reported to be continuing as the community awaited further developments.
