Mississippi Defendant Pleads Guilty Following Deadly Shooting at Casino

Posted on: April 18, 2024, 05:01h. 

Last updated on: April 18, 2024, 09:59h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More

Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

A 19-year-old man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a single charge linked to a deadly shooting at the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D’Iberville, Miss.

Karmelo Cortez Morris Derks of Mobile, Ala., agreed to the guilty plea in federal court for transporting a stolen vehicle across state lines, according to Alabama TV station WALA.

A carjacking charge against Derks is likely to be dropped as part of a plea deal with prosecutors, according to the report.

Derks was arrested following the September 2022 fatal shooting in the parking lot at the Scarlet Pearl.

Derks and a second man, Darrius Dewayne Rowser, 20, also of Mobile, were charged with murder after the death of Nicholaus Craig, 36, who had been living in California.

Since his arrest, Derks told authorities Rowser and himself drove a stolen Nissan Altima from Mobile to Mississippi.

When they got to the parking lot at the gaming property, Derks drove up to a Dodge Charger.

I’ll do the rest,” Rowser told Derks, according to court documents.

Rowser got out of the Nissan, went over to the Dodge, and allegedly fired one shot at Craig through the window. Rowser then ran back to the Altima. They fled from the crime scene.

Later, Rowser revealed to Derks he “may have got the wrong person,” according to the court documents.

The following day, the Altima was found in flames at an apartment complex in Prichard, Ala.

Was Victim’s Birthday

Craig had stopped at the casino’s hotel along with his girlfriend. He was heading to Mobile to celebrate his birthday with relatives. The couple had eaten dinner at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and went back to the Scarlet Pearl.

When his back started to hurt, Craig went to his car and decided to go for a drive. He stayed in the car afterward, and then was shot.

The murder charge is the subject of a separate case in Mississippi state court.

At the time of the murder, a spokesperson for the Scarlet Pearl told Mississippi TV station WLOX, “Our thoughts are with the families impacted by this incident.”

Other Shootings

The deadly shooting followed other recent incidents where another man, John Fitzgerald McCarroll Jr., allegedly directed two shootings. One was at Bank Nightlife and the other at Paparazzi Lounge.

The indicted defendants were identified as Derks, McCarroll, Fluker, Rowser, as well as Jimaurice Pierce, and Lyteria Hollis, according to WALA.

Derks and Rowser were also charged with attempted murder in connection with still another incident at an Alabama Walmart, police said. Tomorion Williams was wounded in that violent crime.

Charges are pending.