Arrested by La. wildlife agents wanted on Miss murder charge

Published 10:30 am Thursday, February 12, 2015

Sgt. Joe Chandler saw three men walking away from a vehicle on the side of Highway 65 in St. Joseph on Tuesday, and asked if they needed help, said Adam Einck, enforcement spokesman for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

The men said they’d run out of gas on the way from Tallulah to Natchez, and Chandler drove one of them, Jovanti Barnes, 22, of Natchez, to a gas station, Einck said.

During the ride, he said, Chandler smelled marijuana. Senior Agent Joseph Tarver returned with Chandler and Barnes to the stalled vehicle, where the agents found cocaine and a loaded semi-automatic pistol.

Barnes, Kanari L. Screws, 23, of Natchez and Marcus Ebenezer Mallett, 27, of Jackson all had criminal records and were booked with possessing cocaine and possessing a firearm after a felony conviction.

Mallett, who allegedly gave agents several false names, is awaiting extradition to Mississippi in connection with a killing and aggravated assault last week in Jackson.

All three remained in the Tensas Parish jail Wednesday.

It was not clear whether any of them had an attorney.