Over two years after the shooting death of Jackson State University student Jaylen Burns, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has announced that four suspects have been taken into custody and charged.
MBI issued the announcement Friday and stated that since it took over the case last November, agents have worked diligently with local and federal law enforcement agencies and witnesses to arrest Marquis Scales, 24; Ziqua Amos, 21; Jamison Kelly Jr., 23; and Elisha Brown, 23.
Scales and Amos were each charged with murder while Kelly was charged with accessory after the fact and Brown with accessory after the fact and hindering prosecution. Kelly was initially arrested in November 2023 but released after a judge stated there was insufficient evidence at that point in time.
Burns was killed on Oct. 15, 2023, at the University Pointe Apartments. The MBI took over the case on Nov. 9, 2023.
“This case is a testament to the persistence and professionalism of our state’s law enforcement community,” Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said. “The tireless work of our MBI agents and our partner agencies reflects their unwavering commitment to seeking justice for victims and their families. I am incredibly proud of the teamwork that led to these arrests.”
“This investigation took years of hard work and collaboration among multiple agencies,” MBI Lt. Col. James Herzog added. “MBI extends its sincere gratitude to all law enforcement partners and their dedication and commitment to ensuring justice was served.”
The U.S. Marshals Service assisted MBI in locating and arresting Scales, Amos, Kelly, and Brown. It stated in the announcement that it’s been coordinating the investigation with the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office and will continue to work “to secure convictions of these individuals.”
The MBI did not disclose a potential motive for the killing and is not offering further comment due to the investigation and prosecution being pending.
Burns’ killing has resulted in unrest for not only his family but also the family of Joshua Brown, a man arrested shortly after the incident and falsely accused of killing the senior student from Illinois.
Joshua Brown was arrested on the day of the murder but released after 22 days in custody when WLBT-TV obtained security footage of Brown placing him nearly 100 miles away from the Jackson State campus at the time of the murder. His mother later filed a lawsuit against the university, its campus police, the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, the former chief of the Jackson Police Department, and Burns’ fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, claiming that Joshua suffered severe emotional, financial, and reputational damage as a result of his arrest and the accusations of killing Burns.
At the time of his arrest, Joshua was a football player at Jones College. His attorneys alleged in the complaint that Brown was the victim of a rushed effort by law enforcement to arrest a suspect in a “highly publicized murder.” Allegations detailed in the lawsuit include wrongful imprisonment, defamation, and a conspiracy
“As time passed, it became evident that the accusation of Joshua Brown was a rush to charge someone for a highly publicized murder on a Mississippi college campus,” the complaint reads. “This rush to ‘solve the crime,’ combined with a reckless and grossly negligent investigation…caused irreparable damage to Joshua Brown.”
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Tom Lee scheduled a trial in Joshua’s civil case for Oct. 6, 2026. Most of the defendants named in the complaint have been dismissed but Jackson State Campus Police Detective Terrance Jackson and Jackson State remain in the case, according to WLBT-TV. The report added that Brown’s mother is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney fees, and other relief decided on by the court.
