What Is Known About Val-Tricia and Cedric Garrett’s Deaths in Vicksburg?

 A family in Vicksburg, Mississippi, is facing another devastating loss after Val-Tricia Garrett, affectionately known as “Ms. Val,” and her husband, Cedric Garrett, were found dead on November 13, 2026. Police are investigating the incident as an apparent murder-suicide. The tragedy has also brought renewed attention to a painful chapter in the family’s history: Cedric’s fatal stabbing of his older brother more than two decades ago.

Val-Tricia, 53, and Cedric, 40, were discovered inside a vehicle behind the Vicksburg Convalescent Home, near Shannon and Cherry streets. According to the account provided, Cedric had recorded a Facebook Live video earlier that morning, around 7 a.m., in which he admitted killing his wife. He spoke about their 16 years together, expressed love for her and repeatedly apologized, while also making accusations and describing mistakes he said he had made.

During the broadcast, Cedric reportedly said he had asked for help but felt he had not received it. He also said he intended to take his own life and was heading toward the nursing home where his mother worked. At one point, the camera turned toward the passenger seat, where a person appeared motionless. The video subsequently circulated online, prompting a police response.

Vicksburg police responded at approximately 9 a.m. after learning about the video. Officers located Cedric inside the vehicle, where he was armed. Police Chief Larry Burns said officers attempted to resolve the situation peacefully. Gunfire was reported at approximately 9:42 a.m. According to the chief, Cedric shot himself. When officers approached the vehicle, they found Val-Tricia dead in the front passenger seat. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

For the family, however, this tragedy carries a history reaching back to September 13, 2002. On that day, Derrick Dewayne Maxey, 20, was fatally stabbed during an argument at the brothers’ shared home at 1425 Oakland Street in Vicksburg. Cedric, then 16, was identified as the person who stabbed him, according to reporting by The Vicksburg Post at the time.

The newspaper’s account reported that Cedric picked up a knife during the argument and stabbed Derrick once in the left side. Derrick was transported by ambulance to River Region Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. His body was later sent to Pearl, Mississippi, for an autopsy. The fatal incident took place when both brothers were young, leaving their family with a loss that would remain part of its history.

More than 24 years later, the deaths of Val-Tricia and Cedric have brought that earlier tragedy back into focus. The circumstances are different, but the family is once again confronting the consequences of fatal violence. Val-Tricia was remembered by those who knew her as “Ms. Val,” a name that reflected the affection attached to her. Her death has left loved ones and members of the Vicksburg community mourning.

As investigators continue examining the November 13 incident, the family is left with two devastating chapters separated by decades. The available information does not establish every detail surrounding the couple’s deaths, but the loss has deeply affected those connected to them. For relatives carrying memories of Derrick and now Val-Tricia, the grief reaches across generations, leaving questions and heartbreak that cannot easily be put into words.