3 charged in Sikeston fatal shooting

SIKESTON, Mo. � Three people have been charged in connection with Tuesday�s deadly shooting in Sikeston.

D�ereck J. Whitney, 19, and Antowon Murice Davis Jr., 22, of Charleston, Missouri, were arrested by Sikeston Department of Public Safety, according to DPS chief Mike Williams, while Darius Cooper, 24, of Charleston was arrested by Charleston Department of Public Safety.

Whitney is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of property damage and 12 counts of first-degree assault or attempted assault. His bond is set at $200,000 cash-only and he is currently in the Scott County Jail.

Davis is charged with first-degree murder, 12 counts of first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with evidence. He is being held in the Scott County Jail on $100,000 bond.

Cooper was arrested after the weapon used in the crime was found at his residence. He is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and tampering with evidence. His bond was set at $75,000 and he is currently being held at the Mississippi County Jail.

The SEMO Major Case squad was activated and the investigation continues.

According to Sikeston DPS assistant chief Jim McMillen, apparent drama on Facebook escalated when the suspect shot numerous times at a house. Bullets struck the house and went through the walls where 32-year-old Ricky D. Walker Jr. received a bullet wound to the chest and died of those injuries. Approximately 15 people were in the house at the time with about half of those being children, McMillen said.

No one else was reported injured.

The crime scene also involved a graveyard across the street from the residence. Shortly after the incident, a report of shots fired on Magnolia Street was investigated, but nothing had been struck, according to McMillen.

An investigation of information regarding the suspect led to officers executing search warrants in Charleston and Sikeston.