On a late summer evening in Jackson, Mississippi, a dispute over drag racing tragically escalated, claiming the life of 18-year-old Christopher Silas. The male teenager was fatally shot in the chest on September 19, 2015, near the intersection of East Frontage Road and Eastover Drive. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Silas succumbed to his injuries shortly after the incident.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to Deion Hicks, who was 20 years old at the time,
as the primary suspect. Authorities determined that an argument between Silas and Hicks concerning drag racing preceded the fatal shooting. In a strange turn of events, as police were attempting to take Hicks into custody, he was shot by unknown individuals. He was then transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.
Following his recovery, Deion Hicks was charged with the murder of Christopher Silas. He was subsequently released on a $50,000 bond. The legal process concluded in 2018 when Hicks, then 23, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder. His sentencing was scheduled for June 26 of that year, bringing a close to the case that had deeply affected the local community and left a family to grieve the violent loss of a young life.
