A former Mississippi politician will spend the rest of his life behind bars for killing a pedestrian in a hit-and-run.
On Tuesday, a jury found David Breland, 28, guilty of first-degree murder after his vehicle collided with Tyra Canady, 30, in April 2023, killing the victim. Breland, who ran for circuit clerk in Forrest County during the most recent election cycle, was sentenced to life without parole after it only took jurors one day to reach a verdict.
According to court documents and testimonies, Breland was argued to have been driving near the South 17th Avenue and Camp Street intersection in Hattiesburg when video showed he purposefully ran over Canady before fleeing the scene.
Canady was hit around 10 p.m. on the night of April 8, 2023, but was not found until 6 a.m. the following morning and later succumbed to his injuries at Forrest General Hospital.
Law enforcement used vehicle fragments left at the scene to track down a damaged car that matched the description parked at Breland’s home about two blocks away from the scene of the crime. The vehicle was processed with officers determining it was the same one that hit Canady.
In court, Breland’s defense team argued that his car was not involved, and he was not the person driving during the fatal hit-and-run. However, the jury took in all evidence presented and ultimately sided with the prosecution. Breland is expected to appeal Tuesday’s ruling.
Less than six months after his charges were upgraded to first-degree murder in late May 2023, Breland appeared on ballots across Forrest County as the Democratic nominee for circuit clerk in November 2023. He was defeated by Republican incumbent Gwen Wilks.
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