Mississippi man sentenced to life in prison for double murder near Hal’s Saint Paddy’s Day Parade

A Mississippi man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of two individuals near the annual Hal’s Saint Paddy’s Day Parade in 2023. Jordan Cummins, 29, was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder and received his sentence on Monday afternoon from Judge Faye Peterson.

Cummins was found guilty of the fatal shootings of Joshua Spann, 27, and Auden Jubilee Simpkins, 23, which occurred in March of last year. The incident took place a few blocks from the parade route on Jefferson Street, just outside the State Fairgrounds.

During the trial, prosecutors depicted Cummins as an abusive individual who killed the two victims as they attempted to intervene in a domestic dispute. According to the prosecution, Spann and Simpkins were acting as good samaritans, trying to stop Cummins from beating his girlfriend, Jenny Lukens.

Defense attorneys, however, claimed that Cummins acted in self-defense. Despite this argument, the jury reached a unanimous guilty verdict after just two hours of deliberation.

The sentencing brings closure to a case that has gripped the community, highlighting the tragic events that unfolded during what was supposed to be a festive occasion. Cummins will now serve his life sentence in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC).