First Court Hearing “Unveils” As More Evidence In Death Of Southern Miss Football Player MJ Daniels
HATTIESBURG — The first of four suspects accused in the fatal shooting of Southern Miss football player MJ Daniels in June had a preliminary court hearing on Friday at Forrest County Justice Court.
Samir Green, 16, from Hattiesburg, appeared before Hattiesburg Municipal Judge Mary Moore Conville. Judge Conville denied bond for Green for the second time, and he faces charges of capital murder and attempted armed carjacking. The bond for the carjacking charge was set at $100,000, which Judge Conville withheld. Green is being prosecuted as an adult.
Judge Conville also rejected a motion to dismiss the charges, citing sufficient probable cause.
The Hattiesburg police have indicated that the investigation into the case is ongoing.
The three remaining individuals who were arrested — Orlando May, Allen Marcus Gardner, and Nytavion Shaw — have not yet had their preliminary hearings. All three face charges of capital murder and attempted armed carjacking. Additionally, Orlando May is also charged with felony eluding and motor vehicle theft.
Hattiesburg Police detective Chandra Daniels (no relation to MJ Daniels) was the sole witness to testify on Friday, presenting new evidence regarding the events of the shooting night and subsequent days.
How Hattiesburg detective recalled the night of the shooting death of MJ Daniels
Chandra Daniels stated that Hattiesburg Police received a 911 call reporting multiple gunshots at the Ivy Row apartment complex near the Southern Miss campus. Upon arrival, they discovered MJ Daniels deceased in the driver’s seat of his black Dodge Challenger, with a gunshot wound to the back of his head near his neck.
She mentioned that investigators found two bullet holes on the car — one on the passenger side and another on the driver’s side, with the latter not penetrating the vehicle. A 9 mm shell casing was located near the passenger side. Fingerprints, including those belonging to Samir Green, were found on the car’s exterior.
Three witnesses were identified at the scene, but their identities have not been disclosed to the public. According to Daniels, one female witness reported being followed by four black males as she walked her dog at the Ivy Row apartment complex before the shooting. She called her roommate upon noticing the individuals, and they turned away and walked off as she approached her apartment door.
May, Gardner, and Green were arrested two days following the shooting, with Shaw apprehended on June 20. May and Green were taken into custody near Hattiesburg High School, though it’s unclear who was driving. They were pulled over by a police officer who recognized their vehicle as stolen. The suspects fled on foot after a brief car chase before being captured by authorities. A .38-caliber handgun was discovered in the car.
MJ Daniels, aged 21, was preparing for his senior season as a defensive back at Southern Miss. The former George County High School standout had previously played at Ole Miss during the 2021 and 2022 seasons before transferring to the Golden Eagles.
His funeral took place on June 22 at the gymnasium of George County High School.