HINDS COUNTY – Two young men have been arrested and charged with capital murder in the killings of two 16-year-old Lanier High School students whose bodies were found last month in rural Hinds County, authorities said.
Bruce White, 18, and Ezra White, 19, were taken into custody Wednesday evening following weeks of investigation into the deaths of Terrell Burrell Jr. and Khloe Hudson, according to Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones. Both suspects are being held at the Raymond Detention Center pending an initial court appearance, which could come as early as Monday.
Jones said investigators developed enough evidence to elevate the charges beyond murder.
“We do have enough evidence … to say that they’re both being charged with not just murder, but both are being charged with capital murder due to some of the circumstances that we’ve been able to discover during the course of the investigation,” Jones said during a Thursday press conference.
Burrell and Hudson were reported missing to the Jackson Police Department before their bodies were discovered March 30 along South Springdale Road in the Pocahontas community. Jones said early findings indicated the killings were not random and that the victims knew each other.
Investigators also believe the victims and suspects were acquainted prior to the killings.
“There is an indication there is a victim-to-offender knowledge, meaning they did know each other prior to this incident,” Jones said. “We do believe that they were both targeted.”
Authorities have not publicly identified a specific motive, but Jones said the case reflects ongoing concerns about youth violence and access to firearms.
“We’re talking about two 16-year-olds that lost their life … and now you’re having families facing an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old being allegedly involved,” he said. “This is something that we stress: youth violence, youth with guns, being reckless, irresponsible with guns.”
Jones said at least one of the suspects may have ties to the rural area where the bodies were found, and investigators believe the killings likely occurred at or near that location, though additional crime scenes have not been ruled out.
The sheriff also warned that additional arrests or charges are possible as the investigation continues.
“There’s a strong possibility there could be further arrests and or charges,” Jones said. “We continue to follow leads, gather evidence and conduct interviews to ensure every responsible party is held fully accountable.”
Jones credited multiple agencies for their role in the investigation, including the Jackson Police Department and Capitol Police, saying early information from Jackson investigators helped identify the suspects within days of the killings.
“Our thoughts remain with the families, classmates and community members grieving this heartbreaking loss,” Jones said. “We remain committed to transparency, diligence and justice.”
Anyone with additional information is urged to contact the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers.
Therese Apel contributed to this report.
