Adam Armour | Itawamba County Times
Investigators with the Itawamba County Sheriff’s Department escort Demarco Kelly, 22, to his initial court appearance Thursday morning. Kelly is one of five suspects accused of Monday morning’s shooting death of Andre Taylor, 27, in Mantachie.
By Adam Armour
Itawamba County Times
Bond has been denied for the five suspects accused of shooting and killing a Mantachie man Monday morning.
Itawmaba County Justice Court Judge Barry Davis denied bond for Tonisha Antoinetta Johnson, 18, and Kyra Enez McClenton, 19, both of Tupelo; and Tyjuan Clevon Metcalf, 21, Demarco Kelly, 22, and Tyandre Darrell Thomas, 22, all of Clarksdale.
All five are charged with capital murder.
Most of the accused received separate initial hearings, save the two women, Johnson and McClenton, who had a joint hearing. Investigators said the suspects are being kept apart as part of the investigation.
Most of the hearings went by with little incident, save Metcalf’s, who was visibly shaken when his bond was denied.
“No bond? I didn’t kill nobody,” he told the judge, drawing a reaction from the crowd in attendance. A group of supporters waved at Metcalf as he was escorted from the courtroom back to the jail.
The five suspects are accused of the early morning shooting and subsequent death of Andre Taylor at his residence at 410 Museum Drive, Mantachie. Investigators believe the suspects attempted to burglarize a nearly three-pound stash of marijuana recovered at Taylor’s residence, but became involved in an altercation with Taylor and an unnamed individual during the attempt.
Taylor was shot in the area of his hip during the attempted robbery. He was carried to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo for treatment and pronounced dead later that morning.
Three of the suspects were arrested Tuesday morning in Tupelo. Authorities with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation picked up the remaining two suspects in Clarksdale on Wednesday afternoon.
adam.armour@journalinc.com