Teen accused of killing ‘watermelon man’ transferred to adult court
Demarion Tackett, who is accused of killing John Materna, was given a $100,000 bail by Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon. (The Daily Memphian file)
Demarion Tackett, 16, is accused of shooting 76-year-old John Materna, who was known for selling watermelons in The Heights neighborhood, on May 15, 2023. Materna died in the hospital two weeks after being shot.
Topics
Watermelon Man Juvenile Court Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge Tarik SugarmonAarron Fleming
Once an intern, he never left, joining the staff full-time in 2022 as an education reporter. He moved to public safety in 2023, where he covered some of the city’s biggest court cases, including the criminal trials for those charged in the deaths of Tyré Nichols and rapper Young Dolph. He also chronicled the Shelby County Jail and the deaths that have occurred at the facility.
He now provides suburban coverage, focusing on DeSoto County and the surrounding municipalities.
Public Safety on demand
Sign up to receive Public Safety stories as they’re published.
Enter your e-mail address
Comments
Want to comment on our stories? If you’re a subscriber, scroll down to the comments. If you’re not a subscriber, only paid subscribers can add their thoughts, so subscribe now. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.