Man out on bond charged in robbery

Published 12:04 am Thursday, January 17, 2013

NATCHEZ — A man awaiting trial for murder has been charged in connection with the Sunday night armed robbery behind the Seven-Star Store on U.S. 61 North.

Detective Jerry Ford said NPD charged Davarious J. Clemons, 20, 224 Oakland Drive, with armed robbery Tuesday.

Until his arrest on Tuesday, Clemons was out on a $45,000 bond for the October 2011 murder of Cedric Morgan and a $45,000 bond for another armed robbery.

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Clemons is accused of fatally shooting Morgan, 30, during a botched robbery at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. and St. Catherine streets, where Morgan and his wife, Crystal, were in their car.

Police have also charged Joseph Smith, 25, 205 Oakland Drive, with armed robbery in connection with the Seven-Star Store robbery.

Ford said Clemons and Smith got a ride with an individual to the store and while the driver was in the store, Clemons and Smith reportedly approached a man washing his car behind the store.

Smith reportedly got the man’s attention, and Clemons then reportedly hit him in the head with a pistol.

Neither Smith nor Clemons has a bond. Ford said he believes Clemons will likely be denied a bond because of his prior offenses.

Smith was arrested on an armed robbery charge in December 2011, Ford said, but the victim never pursued the charge.