Johnnie Cooper, a 20-year-old male, was found deceased on September 11, 2014, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. His body was discovered submerged in a creek near the softball fields at Timberton Park. An autopsy later revealed that he had been shot six times, and his death was ruled a homicide.
The investigation into his death led authorities to V'Nell Miskell. According to testimony from Miskell's brother, Vernell, Miskell confessed to the murder.
Vernell stated that his brother had been with Cooper at the park the evening before his body was found. He claimed that Miskell shot Cooper once while Cooper, a known drug dealer, was counting his money. As Cooper attempted to flee, Miskell continued to shoot him until he fell into the ditch, where he was shot again. Vernell also testified to finding a nine-millimeter firearm in his brother's clothes, which he later sold.
Phone records from the victim's cell phone showed that the last person to speak with him was a man named Jeremy Waters. Waters told investigators that he had met with Cooper at Timberton Park around 10:00 p.m. on September 10, 2014, to purchase marijuana. He noted seeing Cooper's BMW parked next to an unfamiliar silver or white Ford SUV. Waters also saw Cooper smoking with some friends in the dugout area.
Following a jury trial in the Forrest County Circuit Court, V'Nell L. Miskell was convicted of first-degree murder. Due to his status as a habitual offender, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole or early release.
