A chilling wave of violence descended upon rural Mississippi Friday night, leaving six people dead and a community shattered. Daricka M. Moore, a 24-year-old man, is accused of a horrific rampage that spanned multiple locations, claiming the lives of family members, a child, and a beloved church pastor.
The first victims were discovered inside a mobile home on a secluded dirt road: Glenn Moore, 67, his son Quinton Moore, 33, and Willie Ed Guines, 55. Investigators believe Moore initiated the terror within his own family, a betrayal that has left authorities struggling to comprehend the motive.
Driven by an unimaginable rage, Moore allegedly stole his brother’s truck and drove to a cousin’s home. He forced his way inside, and the situation quickly escalated into unspeakable brutality. A seven-year-old girl was tragically shot and killed, a senseless act that defies explanation.
The horror didn’t end there. Witnesses reported Moore held a gun to the head of another young child, but remarkably, a shot wasn’t fired – whether by choice or malfunction remains unknown. The sheer violence of the night is almost incomprehensible.
Moore then turned his attention to the Apostolic Church of The Lord Jesus, a place of worship for some of his family. He broke into a residence on the church grounds, where he murdered the Rev. Barry Bradley and his brother, Samuel Bradley, who often spent weekends at the church.
Law enforcement flooded northeast Mississippi, a massive response involving local, state, and federal officers. Moore was finally apprehended at a police roadblock in Cedarbluff just before midnight, armed with both a rifle and a handgun. The investigation into how he obtained the weapons is ongoing.
The Clay County Sheriff, Eddie Scott, described the community as “really shaken,” emphasizing the difficulty of finding words beyond prayer in the face of such devastation. The shootings have left a deep scar on the small, tight-knit area.
Prosecutors intend to pursue the death penalty against Moore, citing the extreme nature of the crimes. District Attorney Scott Colom stated, “Six people, one night, several different scenes, it’s about as bad as it gets.”
Investigators are tirelessly working to uncover the motive behind this senseless tragedy, but for now, the community is left grappling with grief and searching for answers in the wake of unimaginable loss. The autopsies of all six victims are currently being conducted by the state medical examiner.
