Mississippi prosecutors are moving to seek the death penalty against a 24-year-old man accused of unleashing a horrifying shooting rampage that left six people dead, including a 7-year-old girl and a church pastor—an act of violence that has shaken a small community to its core.

Daricka M. Moore is being held without bail at the Clay County jail in West Point on murder charges tied to the killings of his father, brother, uncle, young cousin, a pastor, and the pastor’s brother. Clay County District Attorney Scott Colom said he expects to pursue the death penalty and noted that if charges are upgraded to capital murder, Moore would be ineligible for bail under Mississippi law. In other words, the system is taking this exactly as seriously as it should.

Moore is expected to appear before a judge on Monday, where he would likely be appointed a public defender. Authorities say Moore acted alone, and no other injuries were reported during the four-hour manhunt that involved local, state, and federal officers—proof that coordinated law enforcement still gets the job done when it matters.

According to investigators, the violence began inside a family mobile home in western Clay County, where Moore allegedly killed his 67-year-old father, Glenn Moore; his 33-year-old brother, Quinton Moore; and his 55-year-old uncle, Willie Ed Guines. He then stole his brother’s truck and drove to a cousin’s home, forced his way inside, attempted to commit sexual battery, and fatally shot a 7-year-old girl after putting a gun to her head. Her mother and another child were also inside the home.

Witnesses told investigators Moore later held a gun to the head of another child but did not fire. Whether the weapon malfunctioned remains unclear. As Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott put it, “That’s how violent it was”—a statement that sadly needs no elaboration.

Moore then allegedly drove to the Apostolic Church of The Lord Jesus, broke into a residence on the church grounds, and killed the Rev. Barry Bradley and his brother, Samuel Bradley, before stealing a vehicle. Authorities arrested Moore at a roadblock in Cedarbluff at 11:24 p.m., roughly four and a half hours after the first 911 call. He was reportedly armed with both a rifle and a handgun at the time of his arrest.

Investigators are still working to determine a motive and how Moore obtained the weapons, while the state medical examiner conducts autopsies on all six victims. Sheriff Scott said the tragedy has left the community and surviving family members deeply shaken, adding that conversations quickly turned to prayer.

District Attorney Colom said he is confident his office has the resources to prosecute the case and believes pursuing the death penalty is appropriate. In a time when too often justice feels optional, this case stands as a reminder that accountability still matters—and that even in the darkest moments, communities, faith, and the rule of law remain strong.