Therese Apel

Clarion Ledger

His alleged victims were a man at work at an auto parts store, an elderly man working in his garden, and two men cooking out in their yard.

None of the Jackson residents knew Joshua Dukes, the man who authorities say attempted to robbed them all, and then executed them in cold blood.

Now accused in a fourth homicide, Joshua Dukes, if found guilty of them all, would fall under the FBI's definition of a serial killer. Serial murder is defined as the unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender or offenders in separate events.

"This is a very heinous individual who did not hesitate to take someone's life when given an opportunity," said Jackson Police Chief Lee Vance in a Monday press conference.

Broderick Smith, the man police believe was Dukes' first victim on Nov. 18, put up a struggle. When the O'Reilly's auto parts store manager couldn't open the safe for his attackers, police say there was a fight, and both attackers shot Smith. He was a father, a husband, trying to make a life for himself and his family.

The second shooter is still at large, Vance said.

"Somebody else is still out there that’s responsible for Broderick Smith’s death, and we want that person in custody as well," Vance said. "Somebody out there knows who did that. Somebody knows. Just give us that name. You can give us the name and remain anonymous, perhaps even collect some reward money. But we need that individual in custody."

Authorities believe that Dukes' behavior escalated after Smith's death. The other victims didn't even have a chance to struggle. James Hankins, 85, a Korean War veteran, was shot in the back of the head, and his killer left the scene with only his wallet. Hankins' wife of 61 years found him in the yard of their home and called police.

Vance said he believes Dukes saw Hankins and "chose him to be a victim."

Daniel Omar Gomez and Eli Nunez were barbecuing at their home on March 5. Vance said they were shot by two assailants as they attempted to get away. Even their dog was shot dead, police said. Both victims were pronounced dead at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

"(Dukes) and an accomplice roll up and see them out there, get out, rob them, and shoot them. No other rhyme or reason than just shooting," Vance said. "Nothing to justify or provoke it except they wanted to take the people’s money, and ultimately their lives."

Anthony Harris, 19, turned himself in to police in that shooting.

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"All murders are tragedies, but this Broderick Smith murder impacted this entire city. People who don’t even pay attention to these things were shocked and outraged and angry about a guy who was simply going to work, trying to feed his family, and he gets murdered like that," Vance said. "Outraged about an elderly gentleman working in his yard, murdered like that. Outraged about two individuals in their yard cooking, and they fall victim to this guy."

Vance said police didn't immediately see the homicides as connected until the pieces started falling into place. They didn't initially look at the victims, whose only similarities seemed to be their situational harmlessness, and think "serial killer." But he said meticulous police work from the patrol units that secured the scenes to the investigators who canvassed the neighborhoods sharpened the picture.

"When these things were playing out, we were not able to piece them together at that manner. But at the completion of that, at least at this stage, I think you could categorize him as a serial killer," Vance said. "You’ve got to do the basic stuff, and our people did the basic stuff. You’ve got evidence at each crime scene, and we put that evidence together, and it pointed directly at Joshua Dukes."

Dukes was denied bond at his initial appearance Monday. The judge said that since a previous judge had found him to be a threat to the community, she would uphold that ruling. As he walked to the van to be transported to Raymond Detention Center, Dukes covered his face with a piece of paper.

He lowered the paper once he was in the van. His eyes were cold, his face was straight. He didn't answer questions thrown at him by local reporters, just like police said he hasn't answered their questions, either.

Dukes has two family members who are already in the system — Antwain Dukes and Jonathan Dukes. The three grew up in the same household and were raised as brothers.

Antwain Dukes was charged in the 2015 death of Carolyn Temple. Antwain Dukes faces a capital murder charge along with Antreal Jones and Jerome Moore for fatally shooting Temple, 69, in her boyfriend's driveway in 2015.

Jonathan Dukes was nicknamed "the Spider-Man robber" in 2014. In November 2014 the Sprint Mart convenience store and the Waffle House on Mississippi 18 in south Jackson were robbed. Jonathan Dukes was wearing a Spider-Man mask and an outfit that an officer described as "a onesie or something."

Contact Therese Apel at tapel@gannett.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.