A Vicksburg man is one of three people arrested in a potential murder-for-hire scheme in Louisiana, Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office officials said Thursday in a press conference.

Johnnie Hicks, 25, who was recently released from a Mississippi prison, was taken into custody, along with siblings Rilonda Brooks, 44 and David Brooks Jr., 40, Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi said. One suspect, Javadda Lewis, of Edwards, Miss., remains at large.  

Hicks is charged with second-degree murder, solicitation for murder, criminal conspiracy, aggravated burglary, obstruction of justice and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Both Rilonda and David Brooks are charged with second-degree murder, solicitation for murder, criminal conspiracy and obstruction of justice. 

Lewis is wanted on charges of second-degree murder, solicitation for murder, criminal conspiracy, aggravated burglary and obstruction of justice.

Stassi said the charges stem from the Aug. 27 murder of a Maringouin, La. man.

During Thursday’s press conference, Stassi said the four suspects planned and executed the murder of 65-year-old Herman Harris. 

Iberville Parish District Attorney Tony Clayton said Harris worked for the Brooks siblings, who had received a large sum of money in a lawsuit. Harris was injured on the job and Clayton said the siblings hired Hicks to kill Harris out of fear Harris would sue them over the injury

Hicks has an extensive criminal history that includes armed robbery when he was a juvenile. In July 2014, at the age of 15, Hicks was arrested for reportedly robbing a woman at gunpoint on the 1300 block of Washington Street in Vicksburg.

In 2020, Hicks was again arrested by the Vicksburg Police Department and charged with two counts of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Following a traffic stop, he was found with a .40 caliber handgun and an AR-15 rifle.