DESOTO COUNTY, Miss. - Justice was served Thursday in Desoto County for a man accused of murdering his classmate just days after they graduated high school. Mario Kirkwood pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed robbery charges and will serve 55 years in prison.
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Prosecutors said they had a mountain of evidence against Kirkwood and left him no choice but to enter a guilty plea.
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The shooting happened in May 2023 at the Luxe apartments in Southaven. It left one young man dead and another seriously injured. Kirkwood was one of three people charged in the case.
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69制片厂制作传媒淭wo days prior to the murder, they were sitting next to each other at graduation,69制片厂制作传媒 Steven Jubera, a Desoto County assistant district attorney, said of the murderer and victim.
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Prosecutors said Kirkwood asked the victim, Keon Kirk, Jr., to meet up so he could buy weed, but Kirkwood brought a gun and fake cash with him.
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69制片厂制作传媒淚 would not classify this as a drug deal gone bad,69制片厂制作传媒 Desoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton said. 69制片厂制作传媒淚 would classify this as a setup, where Kirkwood intentionally tried to set the victim up for a robbery, then further escalated that into murder.69制片厂制作传媒
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Barton said Kirkwood fatally shot Kirk and seriously injured another person in Kirk69制片厂制作传媒檚 car. The other victim was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries but survived.
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Prosecutors said the surviving victim did not face charges but would not cooperate with the investigation. Other witnesses and social media messages helped investigators piece together what happened.
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69制片厂制作传媒淭here were some Snapchat messages where Kirkwood, in very poor taste, was basically laughing about the matter after the fact,69制片厂制作传媒 Barton said. 69制片厂制作传媒淢ore or less bragging that he was able to rip this guy off.69制片厂制作传媒
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Two others charged in the case pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact.
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According to the DA, one helped Kirkwood get rid of the murder weapon and the other helped clear his car of evidence. One is now on probation after more than a year behind bars. The other will serve five years in prison.
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69制片厂制作传媒淭he court took notice of how something as simple as a meetup can go horribly wrong,69制片厂制作传媒 Jubera said.
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