The Wilkinson County Sheriff announced on Friday that murder charges have been filed against a group of three individuals, including an ex-girlfriend, who are believed to have conspired to kill a former Southern University student. The victim was found fatally shot in western Mississippi.
Three young individuals, Derek Terrell Hollins Jr. (21), Calajia Jack (20), and Allyah Martin (21), have been charged with first-degree murder in Wilkinson County. The authorities found a body, believed to be Steven Harris, who was shot.
Wilkinson County deputies have reported that three suspects have been taken into custody on charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in West Feliciana Parish. Currently held in custody, they are awaiting extradition to Mississippi to face their murder charges.
While the body discovered on Tuesday has yet to be definitively identified as that of Harris, investigators have expressed their confidence in this determination following discussions with his family.
The Harris family’s DNA sample is awaited by the Wilkinson County Coroner’s Office before conducting an autopsy.
According to Sam D’Aquilla, the 20th District Attorney in Louisiana, there is no intention of convening a grand jury for this case. Instead, he will personally file charges against all three individuals involved.
During the week, Sheriff Brian Spillman of West Feliciana Parish reported that his department discovered proof of a plot by the three suspects to entice Harris to Mississippi with the intention of murdering him.
Spillman stated that they have reason to believe that the plot to carry out the crime was devised in West Feliciana Parish and that the initial stages leading up to Steven’s death took place there.
Martin, who was one of the suspects, was in a relationship with Harris and they had a child together. Based on court records, it appears that the two had a tumultuous history, frequently filing restraining orders against each other and accusing one another of physical abuse.
Martin and Harris agreed on joint custody for their son, with Martin being the primary caregiver while Harris had visitation rights. However, Harris violated the custody agreement by moving to Texas without notifying Martin, who later filed a complaint against her for contempt. The custody agreement mandated that any move exceeding 50 miles must be communicated to the other parent.
Harris’ family informed that he disappeared slightly over a week prior to a custody hearing scheduled on Thursday, where he was determined to continue fighting for complete custody of his son. As per WBRZ, Harris’ parents are currently taking care of his son.
When Allyah informed Harris’ mother, Lasonia, that her son was present at the location where his cell phone was last detected, she grew suspicious of Martin. Lasonia, her husband, and the police were the only ones aware of the phone’s last location. Furthermore, Harris and Martin were not on good terms when the former went missing.
The Southern University Marching Band, also known as The Human Jukebox, expressed their condolences to the family of Harris, despite the university stating that there are currently no memorials planned by either the institution or the students.
On Thursday, a post stated, “Steven was more than just a bandmate to us; he was a part of our family, and we will always cherish his memory in our hearts.”