Man killed on birthday; cousin held|[6/12/06]

Published 12:00 am Monday, June 12, 2006

A Vicksburg man celebrating his 21st birthday was killed by gunfire Sunday night, and a cousin was arrested, Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said.

Charges in the death of Derrick Deon Collins, 1692 Standard Hill Road, were pending this morning against Michael Derrel Price, 25, 272 Ironwood Drive.

&#8220Price was detained last night, but he has not been formally charged at this time,” Pace said.

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He said charges were expected to be filed later today.

&#8220It appears that the victim, Derrick Collins, had argued with his cousin, Michael Price,” Pace said. &#8220Apparently, Collins and Price and some other individuals had exchanged words earlier. Collins had gone back to the residence when the shooting occurred at Price’s residence.”

Collins was taken by private vehicle to River Region Medical Center and pronounced dead there.

Warren County Coroner John Thomason said an autopsy was scheduled for tonight at Mississippi Mortuary Services in Pearl.

At 11:34 p.m., Pace said deputies arrived at Ironwood Drive to find &#8220a large group of individuals” near the scene of the shooting. While they were trying to disburse the crowd, &#8220an individual ran up and said that someone had been shot,” he said.

The homicide was the county’s fourth this year. On June 3, Glen Baggett, 49, 594 Wildwood Drive, Greenville, was found beaten to death at a rest stop off Interstate 20 east of Vicksburg. No charges have been filed.

In April, Cetric Ladelle Griffin, 24, was found shot to death at the residence of David Wayne Welch, 40, 310 Massey Road. Welch was charged in the killing.

In January, family members found the body of 72-year-old Elizabeth Williams in her home off U.S. 80, the victim of a blow to the head. No charges have been filed.