Two Alabama men charged in D’Iberville parking lot murder

D’IBERVILLE, Miss. (WLOX) - Two Alabama men are now charged with a September murder in D’Iberville.

Darrius Rowser, 19, from Mobile, and Karmelo Derks, 18, from Prichard, AL are both charged with first degree murder in the death of Nicholaus “Nick” Craig, 36.

Around 1 a.m. on September 21, 2022, D’Iberville Police answered a call about gunshots when they found Craig inside a Dodge Challenger suffering from a gunshot wound. He was parked in the north parking lot of the Scarlet Pearl Casino.

First responders tried to save him, but Craig’s injury was too severe and he died.

Earlier that night, Craig and his girlfriend had been celebrating his birthday at the D’Iberville casino. They had just flown into New Orleans and were staying a night on the Mississippi Gulf Coast before heading to his hometown of Mobile to visit family.

D’Iberville Police responded to the scene around 2 a.m. after a shooting. There, they found... — D’Iberville Police responded to the scene around 2 a.m. after a shooting. There, they found 36-year-old Nicholaus “Nick” Craig, dead in his car.(WLOX)

Detectives began reviewing surveillance videos from multiple locations and discovered they were looking for a Nissan Altima. That car was found to have been Prichard days earlier. It was eventually found burned at an apartment complex in Pritchard.

The discovery helped detectives narrow their search to the Prichard area.

“Throughout this four-month investigation, the detectives’ hard work, long hours, and pure tenacity to see this investigation to a successful conclusion is nothing but commendable,” D’Iberville Police Chief Shannon Nobles said.

Nobles said the motive for the killing seems to be robbery, and a random act of violence.

Both defendants are currently being held at the Mobile County Metro Jail on unrelated charges. A detainer has been placed on both pending extraditions to Mississippi to answer for the charges. Both warrants were issued with no bond upon being booked into the Harrison County Detention Center set by Harrison County Justice Court Judge Albert Fountain.

If you have any information regarding this incident or any other crime, please contact the D’Iberville Police Department at 228-396-4252 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898 or www.mscoastcrimestoppers.com. Tips to Crime Stoppers are confidential, and callers can remain anonymous.

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