Bond denied for suspects in murder of man with Moses Lake ties

COPIAH COUNTY, Miss. — Bond has been denied for four capital murder suspects who are implicated in the brutal slaying of a man who has deep ties to the Moses Lake community.

Canvis Hester, 33, of Hazlehurst, Miss., was found dead on the side of a road in Copiah County, Miss. from multiple gunshot wounds in mid-November. Hester spent a lot of his childhood in Grant County and attended Moses Lake High School but graduated from high school in Mississippi.

Taken into custody in connection with Hester’s death were Dajour Nashay Sutton of Hazlehurst, Miss., Augustyn Lewis of Crystal Springs, Miss., Antonio Devon Bailey of Crystal Springs, Miss. and Kimberly Sutton of Hazlehurst, Miss.

The prosecution has produced evidence that Hester was bound, beaten, had a plastic bag put over his head, was driven to a secluded spot and shot to death, according to the Copiah County Chronicle.

Prosecutors in Copiah County were able to produce enough evidence to move forward with prosecuting the four suspects with the crime of capital murder. As a result, bond for the defendants was denied by a judge. The Copiah County Chronicle reports the prosecution has indicated they will be pursuing the death penalty against the four suspects.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at rbyrd@columbiabasinherald.com.