A Vicksburg man accused of killing a pregnant mother and her unborn child Thursday night now faces a third murder charge, police said.

Eric DeShawn Jackson, 26, 2609 Grant St., was taken to Municipal Court Monday afternoon to hear the additional charge. He remained in Warren County Jail this morning without bond.

“Preliminary autopsy reports show that the same weapon was used in both deaths, and various testimony from witnesses also indicates that Jackson was responsible,” said Lt. Bobby Stewart of the Vicksburg Police Department.

The third charge stems from the death of Preston L. Qualls, 25, 1523 Ethel St., whose body was found on Ken Karyl Avenue Friday afternoon, fewer than 24 hours after the pregnant Denise Jackson, 25, was shot to death inside her home at 2634 Ken Karyl Ave.

Qualls’ body was found amid construction debris in a yard two doors from Denise Jackson’s address.

Stewart said Qualls was an innocent bystander to the Thursday night shooting that has been blamed on a feud over a video game.

In addition to the murder charges, Eric DeShawn Jackson, who is not related to Denise Jackson, now faces four counts of aggravated assault, shooting into an occupied dwelling and felony weapon possession.

Vicksburg Municipal Judge Louis Burke presided at hearings for Eric DeShawn Jackson Friday and Monday.

Stewart speculated the delay in finding Qualls’ body until the day after Denise Jackson was killed partly was because a crowd of about 200 people amassed in the street after the Thursday night shooting.

He also said Qualls was not reported missing.

Denise Jackson, who was 4 1/2 months pregnant, also was the mother of three children, ages 7, 2 and 8 months.

The shootings ended a week that saw a five lives claimed by gunshot.

On June 28, David Becker, 26, 712 Speed St., died three weeks after being shot on his front porch. Two people have been charged in that case.

On Wednesday, Devin M. Moore, 23, 106 Meadowvale Drive, was killed in what police said was an argument with a neighbor over a property line. The neighbor was arrested and charged with murder.

The deaths brought to six the number of gunshot-related homicides in Vicksburg this year. Seven were recorded in all of 2007.