Two more juveniles have been charged with capital murder in connection to the death of Wiltavious Knox, who was murdered on Jackson Avenue earlier this year.
Demontavious Duffie, 14, and Montavious Mayes, 16, have been charged with capital murder, home invasion, robbery, kidnapping and grand larceny.
The recent suspects make the third arrest in connection to the January crime. Azarion Hatcher, 17, was charged as an adult earlier this month with capital murder, home invasion, robbery, kidnapping and carjacking after being released to the Yazoo City Police Department from a Jackson law enforcement agency.
And Police Chief Terry Gann said his department’s investigation reveals that the theft of a Dodge Challenger was the original motive in the incident that quickly escalated to bloodshed.
“We believe the suspects wanted to steal the Challenger, but they were unaware that the owner (Knox) was inside the home at the time,” Gann said.
Knox passed away on Jan. 10 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center from gunshot wounds stemming from the Yazoo City shooting. The shooting occurred last December at a home on Jackson Avenue.
“We had a report of male subjects walking in the Jackson Avenue and Eleventh Street area,” Gann said, in a previous interview. “When officers arrived, they did not find the subjects. But they did discover a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of Jackson.”
Gann said his department had the stolen vehicle towed before leaving the area. Moments later, reports came in of shots being fired in the same neighborhood.
“A male victim (Knox) had been shot multiple times, including a head wound,” Gann said. “He was taken to a Jackson hospital by an ambulance. Inside the home, we also discovered a female victim, who had been tied up.”
Gann said no other injuries were reported, adding that the suspects allegedly fled the area in a stolen Silver Dodge Challenger.
Yazoo County Coroner Ricky Shivers said Knox was later pronounced dead at the Jackson hospital on Jan. 10 at 9:44 p.m.
Gann said Hatcher was being held with the Jackson Police Department on unrelated charges prior to being released to the local authorities.
Hatcher was first picked up by Jackson authorities, following an investigation with a string of carjackings in the metro area.
“We issued warrants for Hatcher’s arrest, and when he was picked up by Jackson officers, those active warrants appeared in the system,” Gann said. “Jackson authorities turned him over to us following their own separate investigation.”
Duffie and Mayes were charged this week in connection to the case.
