Sheriff Lowndes Co. uncovers a brutal murder on Luxapalila

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – It started as a drug deal and ended in a brutal murder in Lowndes County after a double-cross.

Two people have been arrested and charged in the brutal murder of a Colorado man.

It all started when Malachi James Salus and Elias Eugene Trudell drove from Colorado Springs, Colorado to sell drugs to a group of people in Columbus. They made their plans through social media. But as the time of the drug and money trade approached, each side decided to double down on the other.

The drug dealers planned to steal the money and keep the drugs.

The drug buyers wanted to keep the money and steal the drugs. Things did not go well.

Here are the people detectives charged in the murder and also in the drug deal.

Detectives believe Jaleen Young, 24, and Kenneth Jones, 20, shot and killed Trudell.

Isaac Harris, 19, Treveon Little, 23, Makye Butler, 19, David Hall, 25, Salus and Jones will now be charged with conspiracy to commit trafficking of controlled substances.

Butler and Hall will be charged with accessory after the fact. The sheriff’s department worked with District Attorney Scott Colom to file charges.

As we reported, Lowndes County deputies responded to a 911 call about a possible body in a burning car. It was near the entrance to Luxapalila Creek Park.

“We know who the individual is, but we don’t have a positive ID on the guy through the crime lab. I sent some stuff to DNA to positively identify him, but to date, I haven’t gotten those results back from the state crime lab. We will get jobs here from Glen. I’ll tell you what it was, I think back in the day it was supposed to be a little bit more,” Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins said.

Young, Jones, Butler and Hall are currently in custody in Lowndes County.

Young is currently indicted in Oktibbeha County for his involvement in a 2022 shooting. All other defendants have been charged and are currently out on bail.

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