DURANT – Police are still investigating the murder of a Goodman man who was shot and killed after leaving a local convenience store earlier this month.
Rodmekus Kitchens, 29, was pronounced dead at UMC Hospital in Lexington on Tuesday, Nov. 3, after authorities said an unknown gunman shot him with a 12-gauge shotgun. According to Investigator John Haynes of the Durant Police Department, Kitchens had purchased several items from the Family Dollar Store on East Madison Street, when he exited the store and walked to his car.
Haynes said as Kitchens sat in his vehicle, a late model Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight, a lone gunman approached from behind.
“According to what [information] we have,” Haynes said, “someone walked up from the side of the store, walked behind his vehicle, shot him in the face two times with a sawed-off shotgun and ran off.”
Haynes said the store clerk came outside and found Kitchens in his vehicle.
“She called 911,” Haynes said. “And when the first responders came, [Kitchens] had a pulse. But he wasn’t pronounced until he got to the hospital.”
Haynes said witnesses were unable to give a facial description of the gunman, but described his physical build and the kind of clothes he was wearing. A suspect fitting that description was immediately apprehended in the area.
Haynes also said that several other suspects have been interviewed during the investigation and evidence has been sent to the crime lab in Jackson.
“That’s basically where we stand,” Haynes said. “We’ve interviewed the suspects and we’ve released all of them pending the [crime lab] results.”
Haynes said one shotgun shell was retrieved at the scene and another shell was found with the murder weapon. Authorities believe Kitchen’s murder may have been gang related.
“We’re not saying where the weapon was found,” Haynes said. “But because of the victim’s past affiliation with gang members, we’re speculating that this may be the case.”
Haynes said Kitchens had several prior misdemeanor charges against him in Durant and he had also been questioned by Holmes County authorities in the murder of another man about three months ago.
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