Man who shot, killed George County deputy is identified. He has a rap sheet.
A former Jackson County resident now living in another part of the state has been identified as the man who shot and killed George County sheriff’s deputy in the line of duty Thursday.
Rickey Labaron Powell, a 42-year-old Purvis man with a criminal history, is accused of shooting and killing George County Deputy Jeremy Malone after a traffic stop around 5:15 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot of a Dollar General.
Powell has previous charges for robbery, forgery, assault and weapon violations. He was a convicted felon who served time for both state and federal charges, records show.
He had previously lived in Moss Point.
Malone had pulled over Powell for a suspected tag violation on Mississippi 98 near Brushy Creek Road in the Rocky Creek community. Powell pulled into the parking lot of a Dollar General.
Powell fired several shots, fatally wounding Malone.
Powell then took off, with a witness to the shooting from the store following him until deputies got there to get behind Powell to take him into custody.
The chase continued out of George County into the Beaumont community in Perry County, where Powell died in what authorities believe was an exchange of gunfire.
Witnesses at the store called 911 to alert dispatch.
Victoria Graham, the store’s manager, said she was inside the store when she heard what sounded like three gunshots. She said the deceased deputy and his wife often visited the store.
“I cannot sleep,” Graham said Friday. “This man did not deserve this.”
An undercover law enforcement officer, she said, happened to be inside the store when the shooting happened. That officer ran outside to try to render aid to Malone.
Graham, a former EMT in Mobile, said all she could think to do was lock up the store after the shots rang out.
“I’ve seen a lot but never a cop (shot),” she said.
Malone, a longtime deputy who also served as a law enforcement officer in Greene and Jackson counties during his career, died at the scene of the shooting.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is handling the investigation just as it does for all police shootings in the state.
Sean Tindell, commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, said investigators are still trying to piece together all the events that happened leading up to the shooting and afterward when the suspect died.
His office, he said, has refrained from releasing too many more details at this time at the request of Malone’s family.
However, authorities have determined that Malone had been shot multiple times.
Malone, who also worked as head of security at a Coast shipyard, died at the scene.
His fellow law enforcement officers earlier Friday escorted his body from George County to the Mississippi Crime Lab in Biloxi, and then back to a funeral home in Lucedale.
His death has left his family, friends and community in shock and mourning.
Malone is the first law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty in Mississippi this year.
To help Malone’s family
The Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District (SMPDD) is accepting donations for Malone’s family.
Those wishing to donate to the family may mail or deliver donations to the SMPDD office at 10441 Corporate Drive, Suite 1, Gulfport, MS, 39503. Checks should be made payable to Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District, with a designation of the Fallen Officer Fund in the memo line of the check.
Additionally, SMPDD has a bank account at Community Bank to receive donations for fallen officers. The name of the bank account is “Southern Mississippi Planning Fallen Officer Fund.” Donations can be made at any Community Bank branch.
For those wishing to donate online, you may go to www.smpdd.com and click on the Fallen Officer Fund “Donate” button to donate via PayPal, credit card or debit card.
This story was originally published January 5, 2024 at 4:09 PM.
