By David Howell

    Funeral services are Friday for a Batesville man gunned down in the latest drug-related homicide.

    Cornelius “Shawty” Wells was killed Sunday night in Water Valley and is the fourth Panolian murdered this year. He is the third killed since March in what have been identified by law enforcement as drug-related crimes.

At press time Wednesday, his killer had not been charged.

    But seven people in Panola County face capital murder charges following the March 28 shooting of Ira Phillips in Crenshaw and the brutal killing of Tommy “Burnside” Walton in Como in late April. In the January 26 shooting of Herman Smith in Batesville, Derrick A. Burdette has been charged.

    All of the victims were in the prime of their lives – Phillips was 20, Walton was 32, Smith was 21 and Wells was 24.

    Walton’s funeral was held last Saturday in Crenshaw and the outpouring of emotions prompted citizens in Como to gather last Monday at the Emily Jones Pointer Library courtyard to hold a prayer vigil.         Como library branch manager Alice Pierotti orchestrated the vigil, “A Moment Against Violence,” and more than 50 people gathered to pray for peace, the town and families affected by the violent crimes.

    Phillips was found lying face down in a pool of blood on March 28 in what Sheriff Otis Griffin described as “an attempted drug deal gone bad or a robbery or a combination of both.”

    Walton’s burned body was discovered in a drainage ditch on Paul White Road, located north of Como at the Tate County line on May 7. Assistant District Attorney Jay Hale reported Walton’s death likely Stemmed from an argument about stolen narcotics.

    Panola County Coroner Gracie Grant-Gulledge said that Walton had been shot multiple times.

    Wells was killed after an argument Sunday night. He was shot once in the head, according to Yalobusha County Coroner Ronnie Stark. The shooting followed an altercation, and drugs are believed to be the culprit, according to Water Valley police.

    Michael Vincent Ruffin, Damion Stokes, JaQuentin Lawson and Derrick Dunston, all of Crenshaw, face capital murder charges for their alleged roles in the murder of Phillips. Ruffin was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

    Cousins Odell McBrayer Jr. and Larry McBrayer Jr. along with Antonio Glover have each been charged with capital murder in the death of Walton.

    Four other suspects were charged with burning down a brick home at 217 Ford Street in Como to cover up the evidence in Walton’s killing. Marshall Doneil Little, Fredrick Terrell Moss, Cedrick Demond Walker and Derrek Eugene Faulkner, all of Como, face felony arson charges.

    Glover lived at the house that burned on Ford Street, a rental house owned by Rick Motto. Walton lived next door with his mother, Lillie Moore. 

    An eighth suspect, Edrico Echols of Como, is charged with accessory after the fact, meaning he allegedly knew of Moore’s murder and helped cover it up.

    Hale, explaining the accessory charge, said investigators allege Echols “cleaned up” the crime scene at the Ford Street home and in Moore’s automobile which was discovered several days before the body was discovered.

In the January murder of Herman Smith, Derrick Burdette is accused of shooting the victim as he sat in an automobile at the Still Trailer Park in west Batesville.