One of the four suspects in the murder of University of Southern Mississippi football player Marcus “MJ” Daniels recently had his preliminary hearing in court, where he stated that he has no memory of any of the events that occurred on the night of that crime.
During his September 13 appearance in front of judge Gay Polk-Payton at the Forrest County Correctional Facility, 18-year-old Allen Marcus Gardner was shown photographs from the scene, but still denied being able to remember details of the murder. According to Gardner’s attorney, his lack of memory may be traced back to a traumatic brain injury caused by a car accident that occurred earlier this year.
Hattiesburg Police Department officer Chadra Daniels, who responded to the murder, testified during Gardner’s initial appearance to reveal further details about his involvement in the crime. Chadra Daniels said that before Gardner was taken into custody, officers contacted his father, who told police his son was at home and gave them permission to come to the house to arrest him.
Although Gardner’s attorney asked Polk-Payton to rule that there was no probable cause for Gardner’s arrest, the judge denied that request and said the case will be sent to a grand jury.
Daniels’ murder occurred at approximately 9 p.m. June 11 at Ivy Row Apartments in the 6300 block of U.S. 49 in Hattiesburg, at which point police were immediately dispatched to the scene. Upon arriving, officers found Daniels in his car with a gunshot wound.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The four suspects in the murder are as follows:
- Samir Green, who was taken into custody on June 14 and charged with one count of capital murder and one count of attempted carjacking;
- Orlando May, 18, of Hattiesburg, who was taken into custody on June 14 and charged with one count of capital murder, one count of attempted carjacking, one count of felony eluding and two counts of grand larceny auto. Polk-Payton denied a request to reduce bond on the carjacking;
- Gardner, 17, of Houston, Texas, who was taken into custody on June 14 and charged as an adult with one count of capital murder and one count of attempted carjacking. He has since turned 18; and
- Nytavion Shaw, 16, who was taken into custody on June 20 and charged as an adult with one count of capital murder and one count of conspiracy to commit armed carjacking.
In previous testimony, it was revealed that two days before the murder, police responded to a call of a stolen white Acura. That car was later seen at Ivy Row the same night Daniels was murdered, as May and the other suspects had driven there in an attempt to hide from police.
While at the apartment complex, the four suspects observed Daniels asleep in his car – which was running at the time – and approached the vehicle with the intent to steal it. May then fired a shot that went through the driver’s side door and hit Daniels in the back of the neck, killing him.
Two days after the murder, May and 16-year-old Green were arrested after a high-speed chase, during which May was driving a Ford Freestyle which had been reported stolen.
All four suspects have been denied bond on their respective capital murder charges.
MJ Daniels was a starting defensive back for the Golden Eagles, for which he started 12 games last season. The George County High School alum spent the first two years of his college career at Ole Miss before transferring to Southern Miss.
Anyone with additional information regarding the incident is asked to call Hattiesburg police at (601) 545-4971 or Metro Crime Stoppers by dialing **Tips. Anonymous tips also can be submitted at www.p3tips.com.
Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to felony arrests.
