In the winter of 2017, the life of a young Waynesboro, Mississippi man was tragically cut short, leaving a community searching for answers and justice. Rico Cartiz Gray, a 26-year-old Black male, was killed in a shooting incident on January 9, 2017. His violent death prompted a swift and thorough investigation by local law enforcement.
The Wayne County Sheriff's Department, in collaboration with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations, spearheaded the inquiry into Gray's death. Their efforts quickly led to the identification of two suspects from Waynesboro. On January 10, 2017, just a day after the shooting, authorities arrested 26-year-old Justin Lee Dearmon and 27-year-old Deanthony Donnel Ray in connection with the crime.
Following their arrests, both men were formally charged. Dearmon faced charges of murder and tampering with physical evidence. Ray was charged with murder, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy to commit a crime. During their initial court appearance before Justice Court Judge Charles Chapman on January 12, 2017, substantial bonds were set. Dearmon's bond was placed at $1 million for the murder charge and another $1 million for tampering with evidence. Ray's bond was set at $1 million for murder, $500,000 for tampering with evidence, and $1 million for the conspiracy charge. The community closely followed the initial developments, seeking justice for the untimely loss of Rico Gray. Despite the arrests and charges, the final outcome of the legal proceedings against Justin Lee Dearmon and Deanthony Donnel Ray, including details of any trials or convictions, are not available in the public online sources.
