UNSOLVED: THe Execution-Style Murders on Sheppard Road

In a quiet northeast neighborhood of Jackson, Mississippi, shots rang out inside a modest home at 214 Sheppard Road at around 10:40 p.m. on the night of January 20, 1996. What began as a typical evening among friends would turn into a double homicide. The two victims, Robert Morgan, Jr. and Craig Geno, Jr., both 17, were found lifeless when officers arrived. A third teenager, Bruce Stribling, was also shot through the face and cheek but would survive after a short stay at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Robert Morgan, Jr. lived at the Sheppard Road home with his grandmother. A student at Woodland Hills Baptist Academy, Robert was known for his warm demeanor and future-focused ambitions. Craig Geno, Jr., a student at the same school, was described as intelligent and well-liked. Geno belonged to what would be considered a prominent family in the Jackson area. He was the nephew of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Beth Henley. Geno's father, Craig Geno, Sr., was a well-known lawyer in Jackson.

Robert Morgan, Jr.

Investigators began trying to piece together the events of the night before the gunfire erupted leaving the two teens dead. The surviving victim and another teenager who was hanging out at the home that night told investigators that the four young men had been hanging out around town that night. They returned to the home for a while before deciding that they wanted to go back out. Bruce Stribling decided he was going to stay at the home while Morgan, Geno, and Burton went to hang out. At some point, Morgan and Geno ran back inside the house for a few minutes, leaving Burton in the vehicle. When they got into the home they apparently came in contact with a male with a gun. The male shot Stribling in the face. It appeared to investigators that Morgan and Geno attempted to flee down the hallway of the residence to escape the shooter but were ultimately shot execution-style in Morgan's bedroom as they were laying on the floor. Geno was shot in the back of the head. Morgan was shot in the back.

Craig Geno, Jr.

There were no signs of forced entry. Nothing appeared to be taken from the home. There was no definitive description of the suspect by either of the survivors. Investigators were having a difficult time trying to wrap their mind around what could have been the motive or what happened that night. The investigation became more muddy when the Stribling and Burton were given polygraph tests which revealed inconsistencies in their stories.

In the days following the murders, the students and staff of Woodland Hills Baptist Academy were devastated. Counselors, pastors, and youth ministers gathered to provide emotional support for any one who may have needed those services. A memorial was held, and prayer services were offered in the community that was still struggling to understand why this happened.

Despite a $20,000 reward, no one was ever arrested for the murders of Robert Morgan, Jr. and Craig Geno, Jr. Their families have not seen justice served. Craig's father stated simply, "It's just hard to accept killing for killing's sake."

The double homicide of the two teenagers eventually faded from the headlines, but it has never been closed. Somewhere, someone may still know what happened that night. If you know anything about the events of January 20, 1996, at 214 Sheppard Road, contact the Jackson Police Department. Any detail--no matter how small--could make all the difference.