Claiborne Co. judge denies bond for 2 suspects in Pattison teen homicide; father gets $125K bond

CLAIBORNE COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT) - A judge has denied bond for two teens charged with murder in connection with the June 18 homicide investigation in Pattison, according to the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Edward L. Goods, Sr. said initial appearance hearings were held before Justice Court Judge Mareesha Odoms. Bond was denied for Camelo Hedrick and Rakem J. Townsend, who remain in custody on murder charges.

A third defendant, Vernard Townsend—identified by the sheriff’s office as the father of the two murder suspects—appeared on charges of accessory after the fact to murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and a charge related to machine gun conversion devices under Mississippi law. Judge Odoms set his bond at $125,000.

The case stems from the deadly shooting at the Bikini Lounge in Pattison that killed 17-year-old Dawaynemonion Hedrick, the sheriff’s office previously said.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active and ongoing, and that investigators—along with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation—will continue pursuing leads and provide updates as appropriate.

Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.