Teen accused of killing local watermelon vendor posts bond
John Materna, 76, died May 29, two weeks after he was shot during a May 15 robbery while selling watermelons at Homer Street and Wayne Avenue in The Heights neighborhood. (Courtesy April Stokes)
Demarion Tackett, 16, is accused of killing John Materna. He posted his $100,000 bond that was set by Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon on Feb. 7.
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Demarion Tackett John MaternaAarron 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.
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