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Small Mississippi community works to heal after two children killed, third held hostage

"When you hear of two children getting killed like that, it’s sort of rough on the community," said Otha Hunter, a Jonestown, Mississippi resident.

COAHOMA COUNTY, Miss — It was a tragic morning in Jonestown, Mississippi. The area is about an hour and a half from Memphis. Two children were fatally shot as Coahoma County Sheriff Deputies responded to an apartment complex to find a third child being held at gunpoint. 

Devastation has filled the entire Jonestown community after learning that two children were shot and killed Monday morning. The Coahoma County Sheriff’s Office arrested the suspect, who is now charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault, but the pain the community feels is far from over.

All is usually calm in Jonestown. It is an area tucked in Coahoma County, with a close-knit community.

“Everybody knows everybody, and everybody is almost kin to each other,” said Otha Lee Hunter Jr., a resident. “It’s normally quiet here in this area.”

That was not the case early Monday morning, Jan. 9. 2023. At about 2 a.m., Coahoma County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a child shot at the Summit Garden Apartments. An off-duty deputy living in the town responded. When the off-duty deputy and other sheriff deputies arrived, they said they found a man holding a child at gunpoint. 

Deputies were able to talk the man down and get the child to safety. Once in custody, deputies found two other children inside with gunshot wounds. One child was a nine-year-old boy, and the other was a one-year-old girl. Both died. 

Deputies arrested 25-year-old Marquez Griffin.

Credit: Coahoma County Sheriff’s Office
Marquez Griffin

“Never had a double homicide like this,” said Hunter. He lives in the neighborhood across the street from the apartments and was a sheriff deputy for about 19 years.

“It’s sort of frightening. You normally… when you hear of two children getting killed like that, it’s sort of rough on the community. I’ve raised about 13 kids and have about 20 grands almost, so it’s sort of rough on me. It’s sort of rough on everybody that lives in this community,” said Hunter.

It is a community that needs each other more than ever. 

“We stick together,” said Hunter. 

He and the community are hoping to help each other heal.

We reached out to family members of the children. Deputies said the investigation is still on-going.

Coahoma County Supervisor, Derrell Washington, is assisting anyone in the community who would like to speak with a grief counselor.

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