A mistrial was declared in the case of a 2022 killing involving a University of Mississippi student, where jurors were unable to reach a verdict after over nine and a half hours of deliberation. The victim, a prominent member of the LGBTQ+ community at the university, has been declared dead by the judge, although his body has never been found.
The defendant, charged with capital murder, remains free on bond and could face life in prison if convicted. The jury was given the option to consider lesser charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, or manslaughter.
The victim, known for his creative expression through fashion and makeup, disappeared in July 2022 in Oxford, where the trial took place. The defendant was arrested two weeks after the victim vanished, with investigators presenting electronic records and text messages as evidence.
Prosecutors alleged that the defendant and the victim had a sexual encounter that turned violent, leading to the victim's death. The defense argued that the prosecution could not prove the victim's death without a body and claimed that the victim was not lured to the defendant's apartment.
Throughout the trial, details emerged about the defendant's online searches and activities on the day of the victim's disappearance, including purchasing duct tape and traveling to his hometown. The mistrial was declared by the judge after jurors were deadlocked despite multiple instructions to continue deliberating.
The judge expressed gratitude to the jurors for their service and indicated that discussions would take place regarding a potential retrial. The families of both the defendant and the victim were present in the courtroom, with instructions given to leave separately after the mistrial was declared.
