Cairo man charged with murder

A Cairo, Illinois, man was arrested in Texas earlier this week and charged with alleged first-degree murder in connection with a 2022 shooting death in Carbondale, Illinois.

Carbondale police officers were conducting patrols early the morning of Oct. 23 when they discovered several disturbances in crowds at the 200 block of West College Street in Carbondale, according to a prior news release from the Carbondale Police Department.

Shots rang out and officers responded to the scene, discovering a victim -- later identified as Jacob Gray, 19 -- who had been hit by gunfire several times. Lifesaving efforts were performed on Gray at the scene and he was later transported to Memorial Hospital in Carbondale where he succumbed to his injuries, the release said.

Daurice T. Morse, 20, was later identified by investigators as a suspect in connection with the shooting. A warrant for his arrest was issued the day after the shooting and he was indicted by the Jackson County, Illinois, State's Attorney's Office with alleged first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm.

Morse was arrested by federal agents Tuesday, March 28, in Houston.

Extradition proceedings are currently underway to transport Morse back to Jackson County to stand trial, the release said.

Law enforcement previously arrested a 15-year-old juvenile Oct. 31 in connection with the investigation into Gray's death for alleged unlawful possession of a weapon.