Scott Pleads Guilty In 2020 Double Murder
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Kendrick Scott
WATER VALLEY – A Tallahatchie County man entered a guilty plea to two counts of manslaughter in the brutal 2020 double homicide that claimed the lives of Jennifer Nault and Richard Dicken. Kendrick M. Scott, 38, entered the plea in Yalobusha County Circuit Court on Aug. 16 as part of a negotiated plea agreement in which the District Attorney will recommend 20 years to serve for each count during sentencing that will follow in the coming weeks.
The District Attorney’s recommendation to the court also states that the sentences will run consecutively, meaning a total of 40 years, and concurrent to time Scott is already serving for a life sentence without the possibility of parole for an earlier conviction in Yalobusha County.
Scott was indicted for two counts of capital murder in the May 17, 2020, deaths of Nault and Dicken. The indictments followed an eight-month investigation that was launched after the victims were discovered in a badly burned mobile home on County Road 294, just west of Water Valley off Hwy. 32. Information to the public slowly trickled out after the murders, details that revealed a grisly scene as the couple and their dog was shot inside the mobile home before it was torched in an effort to conceal the crime. More than a week would pass before Yalobusha County Coroner Ronnie Stark was able to confirm the identity of the two victims after obtaining DNA samples from family members.
As part of the negotiated plea agreement, Assistant District Attorney Steve Jubera agreed to reduce the charge from capital murder to manslaughter. Jubera told the Herald that the goal was to ensure that Scott remains incarcerated for the remainder of his life.
“Mr. Scott has been hurting people for almost his entire life and that is not going to happen again, at least not in the free world,” Jubera explained about the guilty plea. “We want to ensure that the public is safe permanently from Scott.
The ADA also cited strong investigative work by the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and state fire marshal’s office.
“We were fully prepared to prosecute this case and take it to a jury, but because of Mr. Scott’s status of serving a life-without sentence, we would simply be trying it for justice for the family,” Jubera stated.
Lengthy Criminal History
Jubera noted that Scott’s criminal history dates back to when he was 15 years-old and charged with attempted armed robbery. More recently, Scott was convicted in the June, 2017, robbery of the Exxon Store on Frostland Drive in Water Valley.
In April, 2021, he was convicted again for robbing the same Exxon store on June 2, 2020. Circuit Judge Jimmy McClure sentenced Scott as a habitual offender in the second store robbery under the three strikes law, ordering him to serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Scott appealed the life sentence for the store robbery last September, petitioning the Mississippi Supreme Court to reverse his conviction and sentence and order a new trial. The appeal states that an outburst by Scott during jury selection during the April, 2021, trial made it impossible for the court to seat an impartial jury, causing irreparable prejudice to his defense.
Scott’s outburst, “I’m guilty… I’m guilty as hell,” prompted his attorney to request a mistrial after a prospective juror told the court that she would not comfortable judging Scott.
Jubera believes that the conviction and appeal will not be overturned.
“Judge McClure did a good job presiding over this case. He allowed any juror who said that they were prejudiced by Scott’s statement in front of the entire jury panel to be removed from the jury,” Jubera said. “We had a fair jury, they listened to the evidence.”
Evidence in the second store robbery included a confession by Scott and witnesses including store clerks.
The appeal was presented to the state’s highest court last month and a ruling is expected later this year.
Jubera also said Scott faces a new charge while he has been imprisoned.
“He was indicted for aggravated assault that occurred while he was in custody at Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility,” Jubera said. “We expected this charge to be resolved as part of this deal.”
