Daricka Moore makes first court appearance in connection to deaths of six people in Clay Co.
24-year-old Daricka Moore made his first court appearance at the Clay County Circuit Court on Monday, January 12.
Family members, local officials, and state law enforcement were all present.
Moore is charged with multiple felonies including capital murder.
“The allegations fit the charge of capital murder. For capital murder, you can kill three or more people. That qualifies as capital murder. If you kill a child and that’s considered child abuse, that can also be considered capital murder,” said 16th Judicial District Attorney Scott Colom.
Moore is facing three counts of capital murder, including the death of a 7-year-old girl, his second cousin.
This comes after a shooting spree Friday night in the Cedar Bluff community that left six people dead.
He also faces three counts of first-degree murder for his father, brother, and uncle.
Prosecutors said those charges may be upgraded to capital murder.
“Because those three individuals were killed when he went into the home…they were killed at the same time, then those charges per our statutes can be upgraded to capital murder,” said 16th Judicial District Assistant Attorney Trina Davidson.
Investigators said Moore also attempted to shoot another child that night.
Moore was first charged with attempted murder of that child, but it upgraded to attempted capital murder on Monday once more information was discovered.
“The investigation determined that the suspect allegedly stuck a gun to his forehead, but the little child reached with his left hand moving the gun away from his forehead, when the weapon discharged, therefore creasing him on the side of his head,” said Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott.
Moore also allegedly attempted sexual battery against the mother of the seven-year-old victim.
The judge denied bond and ordered a mental evaluation for Moore from the Mississippi State Hospital.
“After he goes through that process, if it turns out that it was not a mental thing and there’s no mitigation that will apply to it, then at that point, this is the worse type crime that you can commit in Mississippi. And the worse type crimes have to get the worse type punishments,” said Colom.
The Sheriff’s Department and the DA office are working closely together on this case.
