Man arrested in 2016 Brookhaven murder released

Published 9:06 am Wednesday, January 18, 2017

A Brookhaven man accused of committing the only murder in the city in 2016 has been released from jail for lack of evidence.

Travis Antonio Brinson, 22, of Bryant Street, was a suspect in the fatal shooting of Lance “Tyrone” Mackbee, 25, who was found in car on South Center Street around 3 a.m. on Oct. 26. Mackbee, of Bogue Chitto, was pronounced dead at the scene. He’d been shot multiple times.

Brinson visited the Brookhaven Police Station that same afternoon because he heard detectives wanted to question him. He was arrested on murder charges in Mackbee’s death.

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In municipal court Tuesday, Judge Brad Boener dismissed the case, citing no probable cause.

Brinson had been in jail since his arrest.

Police Chief Bobby Bell said he helped with the investigation in the Mackbee case.

“I’m going to present it to the grand jury myself since I helped work it,” he said. “As far as the case is concerned, I feel like the evidence is there. The witnesses are there.”

District Attorney Dee Bate’s office sets the schedule for the Lincoln County grand jury. The dates of grand jury sessions are not made public, but the jury meets at least quarterly, sometimes more. It last met in December.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Brookhaven Police Department at 601-833-2424 or CrimeStoppers at 601-823-0150. Tips leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000.