Daricka M. Moore, 24, jailed without bond; officials cite “tragedy” and prepare capital counts.
WEST POINT, Miss. — Six people were shot to death Friday night at three locations near West Point and Cedarbluff, and a 24-year-old suspect was arrested at a roadblock as officers swarmed the rural roads, authorities said.
The killings began shortly after nightfall on Jan. 9 and ended less than three hours later with the arrest of Daricka M. Moore. Investigators said Moore acted alone and moved from one address to the next, leaving three members of his family dead before killing a child and two men tied to a local church. The episode triggered a sweeping response from deputies, state police and federal agents. Officials said the case now shifts to court, where prosecutors will seek capital charges while investigators work to explain a motive and document the sequence of events supported by ballistics and witness accounts.
Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said deputies first found victims at a residence on David Hill Road. The dead were identified as Glenn Moore, 67, Quintin Moore, 33, and Willie Ed Guines, 55. Investigators said the gunman left in a relative’s pickup and drove to Blake Road, where they allege he attempted a sexual assault and shot a 7-year-old girl in front of witnesses. A second child escaped injury and is receiving support, officials said. The final shootings occurred on Siloam-Griffith Road, where two brothers, Barry Bradley and Samuel Bradley, were killed. “Multiple innocent lives were lost,” Scott said. “We are devastated for these families and this community.”
Detectives recovered a rifle and a handgun and collected shell casings from all three scenes. They also logged two stolen vehicles tied to the suspect’s movements, including a Ford F-150 taken after the first shootings. Checkpoints were placed at key intersections, and Moore was arrested without further violence just before midnight at a Cedarbluff roadblock, authorities said. The sheriff’s office said the motive remains unknown. Investigators are canvassing neighbors, reviewing electronic communications and seeking exterior camera footage to firm up the timeline between each address.
Moore is being held without bond at the county jail. Prosecutors said they intend to pursue capital murder counts and would evaluate whether to seek the death penalty after reviewing the full case file, including autopsy results and ballistic matches. The state crime lab is conducting autopsies for all six victims to establish precise causes and times of death. Officials said a formal probable cause hearing is expected early this week, followed by grand jury consideration. Any questions about competency or mental evaluation would be addressed in court if raised by defense counsel, prosecutors said.
Neighbors described a quick, heavy police presence on narrow county roads, with patrol cars racing between homes and deputies stringing yellow tape across driveways. Parishioners who knew the Bradley brothers gathered Saturday to pray in a fellowship hall, recalling one brother’s steady volunteer work during weekend services. “Our church is grieving,” a deacon said outside the building. Family friends left flowers near a mailbox on Blake Road, where children often play under tall pines. Residents said they rarely lock doors and were stunned to learn a 7-year-old had been killed.
As of Sunday, authorities had not announced a motive. Investigators plan to re-interview witnesses in daylight and to release additional details after the initial court appearance Monday. The sheriff’s office said more information on funeral arrangements would come from the families in the days ahead.
Author note: Last updated January 11, 2026.