Perry County Man Charged with 2024 Murder Awaits Trial

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Brian Odom, a 50-year-old Perry County resident, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder following a shooting incident in Richton, Mississippi in August 2024. Odom was officially indicted by a grand jury in September 2025 and is set to stand trial in June at the Perry County Courthouse, after his legal team requested a continuance from the originally scheduled February 9 start date.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing challenges in the criminal justice system, including the lengthy timeline between an alleged crime and the eventual trial, as well as the ability of defendants to request continuances that can further delay proceedings. The shooting death of John Odom has also likely had a significant impact on his family and the local Richton community.

The details

According to court documents, Brian Odom was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after the August 2024 shooting death of 33-year-old John Odom in Richton, Mississippi. Odom was initially granted a $1 million bond, which he has since posted. He was officially indicted by a grand jury on September 30, 2025, and his trial was originally scheduled to begin on February 9, 2026, but his legal team has requested a continuance, pushing the start date to sometime in June 2026 at the Perry County Courthouse.

• In August 2024, the shooting incident occurred in Richton, Mississippi.
• On September 30, 2025, Brian Odom was officially indicted by a grand jury.
• Odom's trial was originally scheduled to begin on February 9, 2026.
• Odom's trial is now set to start sometime in June 2026 at the Perry County Courthouse.

What’s next

The judge will decide whether to grant the continuance requested by Odom's legal team, which would push the trial start date from February to sometime in June 2026.