Court files detail how robbery went wrong in Gulfport teen's death

A fourth teenager was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a high school student in Gulfport, Mississippi, according to court records released on Thursday. The documents provide specific details about the investigation into the death of 15-year-old Jonte Sirico Payton and the roles of the four individuals involved.

On October 24, police responded to a call of gunfire in the 200 block of Commerce Street around 2 a.m. Officers discovered Payton, a student at Gulfport High School, already deceased at the scene. Detectives launched a homicide investigation after determining that multiple shots had been fired from different weapons.

Surveillance video from a nearby Circle K on Pass Road captured a 2013 Ford Fusion speeding west toward Courthouse Road without its headlights on. Investigators later located the sedan in the 1200 block of 29th Street, where four people were found working on the rear tire. They were seen entering a 2002 GMC Sierra, which police stopped to secure evidence.

The owner of the GMC Sierra was arrested after officers found approximately 5 grams of cocaine in his possession. Both the sedan and the truck were towed to the Gulfport Police Department to await search warrants. All four occupants were interviewed by detectives regarding their presence at the scene.

Ellianna Yari-Chen Goffney, 17, told investigators she was driving the Ford Fusion when the shooting occurred. She stated that Dennis Pritchett, 17, Elijah Markell Parham, 18, and Malachi Debar Williams, 16, were in the car with her. According to Goffney, Parham and Williams were armed and intended to rob a 16-year-old who was with Payton at the time of the incident.

Goffney said that after Payton was shot, the other three men ran back to the vehicle, and she drove them away from the area. Pritchett’s interview supported Goffney’s account. He told detectives that Williams had contacted the intended victim beforehand to arrange the robbery. Pritchett admitted to knowing the plan and confirmed that both Williams and Parham were carrying rifles.

Pritchett stated that Payton fired his weapon first, prompting Williams and Parham to return fire. He described how he, along with Williams and Parham, climbed into the backseat of the Ford Fusion after the exchange of gunfire. Goffney then drove the group from the scene while the victim lay on the street.

The case has resulted in capital murder charges for Parham, Williams, and Pritchett. Each of the three is also charged with armed robbery, with bond set at $250,000 for each count. Parham and Williams are currently held without bond due to the capital murder charges.

Goffney faces a separate charge of being an accessory after the fact, with her bond set at $200,000. The court documents do not list a bond amount for the capital murder charges for the other three defendants, indicating they are being held without bond on those specific counts.

Police confirmed that the 2013 Ford Fusion and the 2002 GMC Sierra are being held at the station while investigators process the vehicles for evidence. The release of these records marks the formal entry of the fourth suspect into the legal proceedings for the October shooting.