Bail was denied Monday for a Vicksburg man charged with murder for the second time in three years.

Justice Court Judge James Jefferson Jr. declined to set bail for Tamares Ledell Dillon, 35, 118 Lightcap Blvd., in a second-degree murder case following the shooting death of 42-year-old Joseph Acuff Jr., at a mobile home in the 600 block of Standard Hill Road.

Dillon said he did not understand why he was being charged with murder.

“It was in self defense, your honor,” Dillon told Jefferson during the initial court appearance.

Dillon is set to stand trial next month in the November 2012 shooting death of Mardy Eugene Blackmore at the Vanguard Apartments. The trial was originally set for March but was continued, District Attorney Ricky Smith said.

Smith said the October trial might be delayed to allow for continued investigation into Acuff’s death.

Dillon told the court he was represented by Brannan Southerland, though Southerland did not appear in court with him.

“I’ve got him on a charge already,” Dillon said.

Dillon was allowed to post $100,000 bail in March 2014 after spending 17 months in jail awaiting trial in the 2012 murder case, Smith said. Circuit Judge M. James Chaney set bail after hearing motions by Southerland.

“We objected to that but the judge ruled that he was eligible for a bond but raised it to $100,000,” Smith said.

The move came after Dillon was released on $50,000 bail in April 2014 but was later discovered to be on probation under the name David Dillon, Smith said. After the discovery, Dillon surrendered to authorities.

Trial had initially been set for Aug. 26, 2013, “which would have been fairly quick after the initial indictment,” Smith said.

Trial was delayed four times, and each time child molestation cases went to trial instead.

“When you’ve got 400 cases a year to try and 26 trial weeks, we have to set a priority list of cases to be tried,” Smith said.

Dillon was arrested again about 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the home of Shelly T. Walker, 40, 120 Redhawk Road, Sheriff Martin Pace said.

Pace said Dillon was in a bedroom of the home with a loaded 12-gague shotgun lying next to him when he was arrested, a charge Dillon also denied.

“They didn’t get no shotgun off me,” he said in court.

During the arrest, deputies found guns, crystal methamphetamine, small plastic bags and a digital scale, Pace said.

Walker, who is on house arrest for a drug conviction in Copiah was wearing an Mississippi Department of Corrections inmate-monitoring ankle bracelet at the time of her arrest, Pace said.

Walker was charged with two counts of possession of a weapon after felony conviction and possession of meth with intent to distribute. Jefferson set bail for her at a total of $100,000.

She also faces a house arrest violation because of her recent arrest.

“There will be immediate MDOC consideration on that,” Smith said during the court appearance.

Walker said she had “not violated whatsoever since that conviction.”

Court and MDOC records indicate she was convicted in March of possession of cocaine, though during Monday’s court appearance, she claimed the conviction was in 2014.

Her house arrest had been moved to Warren County from Copiah County the Thursday before her arrest, according to MDOC Records.

A third suspect in the case, Jeffery Eatmon, 35, 2816 Drummond St., appeared to fall asleep in court.

“This is a pretty serious crime. You need to pay attention,” Jefferson told Eatmon who is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of meth.

“I’m tired,” Eatmon replied.

Pace said Eatmon was in the home with Walker and Dillon when the drugs and guns were found.

Eatmon told the court he had an attorney, but one did not appear in court with him. Jefferson set his bail at $75,000.