Three Jasper County men accused in the 2018 shooting death of a Mendenhall teenager have been indicted by a Jasper County Grand Jury on murder charges and have been arraigned in Jasper County Circuit Court.
Quaddarrius Marqun Sumling, 26, Tarvis Kentrell Bunch, 26, and Jeremy Oshea McKenzie, 30, are accused of killing 18-year-old Mercedes Angelique Dudley after allegedly shooting into a Nissan car Dudley was driving on March 24, 2018, east of Heidelberg near the Beaver Meadow Community. Two others, at the time, 18-year-old Rosalind Tykiara Taylor of Magee and 19-year-old Diyquavious Kardall Ellis of Laurel, were passengers in the vehicle at the time of the shooting. Taylor was injured during the incident. The accused were also indicted on a count that alleges they purposely caused bodily injury to Taylor with a deadly weapon (firearm) and on a count that alleges they attempted to cause bodily injury to Ellis with a deadly weapon (firearm).
“It’s a tragedy anytime anyone loses their life, but to have an 18-year-old lose her life in something as senseless as driving down the road and getting shot is a horrible tragedy. Another 18-year-old was wounded, and another was lucky not to get hit. It’s horrible that this happened,” Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson said at the time of the shooting and initial investigation by his department. “There was no criminal activity from them (victims) that we can see. There were no weapons found in the car, and there were no weapons found on the victims. It just looks like they were driving down the road.”
Johnson also said during the time of the initial investigation that the accused in these crimes are believed to be affiliated with the Vice Lords gang. He explained that the gang has been known to post criminal-like material, threatening and violent images and videos, and threatening and violent subject matter toward law enforcement on social media.
Sumling and Bunch both appeared before Circuit Court Judge Stanley Sorey last Thursday during an arraignment hearing at the Jasper County Courthouse in Bay Springs. Both were appointed public defenders, and both pleaded not guilty to the charges they face. Judge Sorey denied bond and revoked any previous bonds set for the two due to the heinous nature of the alleged crimes.
McKenzie made an arraignment appearance with his attorney, Jeannene T. Pacific out of Laurel, in front of Circuit Court Judge Eddie H. Bowen Tuesday morning at the Courthouse in Bay Springs. He pleaded not guilty to the charges he faces. Judge Bowen also denied bond and revoked any previous bonds set for McKenzie due to the heinous nature of the alleged crimes.
A trial date for all three men has been set for July 31, 2019.