Man convicted in Hattiesburg teen’s murder faces manslaughter charges in Coast crash
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- Javan Stovall, serving a 40-year term, now faces Stone County manslaughter charges.
- Authorities say Stovall drove a reported-stolen Honda Civic and failed to yield.
- Crash on Highway 26 killed two residents, prompting January trial but possible delays.
A Mississippi man currently serving time for the murder of a 15-year-old girl in Hattiesburg is facing new felony charges tied to a Stone County crash that killed two people.
Javan J. Stovall, 21, of Carson, has pleaded not guilty to two counts each of manslaughter by culpable negligence and failure to stop a vehicle in response to officer signals.
According to authorities, Stovall was driving a Honda Civic that had been reported stolen in Hattiesburg at the time of the Aug. 15, 2023, crash. The crash happened on Highway 26 in Stone County when Stovall failed to yield to law enforcement.
The wreck killed 60-year-old Maelania Dixon, a resident of the Magnolia community, a member of Bethel Baptist Church and a longtime employee of Flint Creek Water Park.
Also killed in the crash was Cameron Henderson, 17, of Marion County, who was a passenger in the stolen vehicle, authorities said.
Stovall is tentatively set for trial in Stone County Circuit Court in January, though the case could be continued to a later date. His attorney, Todd Thriffiley, declined to comment on the case.
He is currently serving a combined 40-year prison sentence in Forrest County for second-degree murder, aggravated assault and vehicle burglary.
In the murder case, Hattiesburg police arrested Stovall and two others in connection with the March 25, 2024, shooting death of 15-year-old Janya Lumzy at Pineview Apartments on Country Club Road in Hattiesburg.
