Mississippi man accused of killing 6 people, including a 7-year-old, pleads not guilty

WEST POINT, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi man pleaded not guilty Monday to killing six people — including a 7-year-old girl — during a rampage through a rural area in the northeastern part of the state.

At a court hearing in Clay County, Daricka M. Moore entered not guilty pleas to 11 charges including capital murder, first-degree murder, attempted murder of a child, burglary and theft of a motor vehicle, WTVA-TV reported. Because Moore was charged with capital murder with the possible penalty of death, he is ineligible for bail under state law. The judge also ordered a mental evaluation for Moore.

No lawyer who could be reached for comment on Moore’s behalf was listed in court records late Monday. District Attorney Scott Colom didn’t immediately respond to a text message Monday seeking details on a defense lawyer.

Moore, 24, is accused of killing his father, brother, uncle, 7-year-old cousin, a church pastor and the pastor’s brother at three locations late Friday, authorities said. He was arrested at a police roadblock in Cedarbluff just before midnight after dozens of local, state and federal officers flooded the area.

Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said at a Saturday news conference that evidence and witnesses indicate that Moore was the only shooter and no other injuries were reported. Authorities were investigating the motive.

Investigators believe Moore first killed his father, 67-year-old Glenn Moore; his brother, 33-year-old Quinten Moore; and his uncle, 55-year-old Willie Ed Guines, at the family’s mobile home.

The sheriff said Moore then allegedly stole his brother’s truck and drove a few miles to a cousin’s house, where he forced his way in and attempted to commit sexual battery. Scott said Moore then put a gun to the head of a 7-year-old girl and fatally shot her. Family members identified the girl as Mikylia Guines.

Scott said that according to witnesses, Moore then placed a gun against a younger child’s head, but she was not shot. It was not clear whether he did not pull the trigger or the gun misfired.

Moore then allegedly drove to a small white frame church, the Apostolic Church of The Lord Jesus. There, Scott said, he broke into a residence, killed the pastor and his brother and stole one of their vehicles.

Scott said the last two victims, the Rev. Barry Bradley and Samuel Bradley, lived most of the time in nearby Columbus but spent weekends on church grounds. Some Moore family members attend the church, Scott said.

Moore was caught at a roadblock at 11:24 p.m. near where the second shooting occurred, Scott said, four-and-a-half hours after the first call came in.