Four suspects are now in custody in relation to a case officially being worked as a homicide.

The case began Wednesday as a report of what was suspected to be a one-vehicle accident on Baxterville Road. The wrecked vehicle was found due to damage to foliage off of the rural road, said Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Shane Tucker.

Thursday evening two suspects turned themselves into the local sheriff’s department, and were initially held on charges of tampering with physical evidence. They were identified as 20-year-old Chadrick Devon Daniel of 2766 Highway 13 South and 20-year-old Gerrod Oneal Howard of 18 Morning Star Lane. Later that same night two more suspects were picked up in Marion County with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, Tucker said. They are identified as 22-year-old Kenneth Johnson Jr., of 2055 Highway 13 South and 23-year-old Gary Daughtry, who has a last known address of 1083 Highway 13 South. All suspects are from Columbia.

While investigating the initial accident call, deputies noticed every door on the four-door SUV was open and the driver had what appeared to be at least two gunshot wounds, prompting them to request assistance from investigators with the Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations. The driver’s body was sent for an autopsy. It is suspected the incident occurred sometime between 11 p.m. Tuesday, and 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Pearl River County Coroner Derek Turnage said the autopsy identified the man as 31-year-old Brandon Penry of Columbia. His cause of death was determined to have been due to multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head, Turnage said.

Tucker said the investigation so far shows that all five people were traveling in an SUV along Baxterville Road outside of Poplarville that night when Penry was shot.

Tucker said Howard is being charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence because their investigation shows that he allegedly shot Penry while the vehicle was in motion.

Daughtry, Daniel and Johnson are being held on charges of tampering with physical evidence and accessory after the fact of murder. Currently all suspects are being held in the Pearl River County Jail.