Greenville, MS— Deshunrick Mayes was sentenced on Wednesday following his conviction of Second Degree Murder and two (2) counts of Attempted Murder in February of this year, District Attorney Dewayne Richardson announced today.
A Washington County trial jury returned three guilty verdicts against Mayes in February following a three-day jury trial in Washington County Circuit Court. At trial, witnesses testified that they were fitting a tire on an old abandoned truck in an alley behind Cornell when Mayes opened his back door and fired approximately ten shots at the victims from about 40 yards away. One of the bullets went through the door of the truck Matthew Chase was sitting in and killed him instantly.
The trial jury considered the indicted charge of First Degree and the lesser included homicides of Second Degree Murder and Manslaughter. Mayes was convicted of Second Degree Murder for killing Matthew and two counts of Attempted Murder for shooting at the other two victims following the jury’s approximate two-hour deliberation.
Second Degree Murder carries a statutory minimum of twenty (20) years and maximum of forty (40) years. Attempted Murder carries a statutory minimum of twenty (20) years.
Following a sentencing hearing on Wednesday of this week, Circuit Court Judge Carol White-Richard sentenced Mayes to serve nine (9) years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections on all three counts to be served at the same time.