18 February 2018 :

A Lafayette County jury unanimously sentenced Steven Wilbanks, 27, White, to death for the killing of Zacharias McClendon. The murder took place on Dec. 17, 2013, in McClendon's apartment. According to testimony, after Wilbanks shot McClendon, he and 2 co-defendants, Joseph Lyons, 24, and Derrick Boone, 27, stole his 2004 Nissan along with clothing, electronics and textbooks. Lyons and Boone have already pleaded guilty to capital murder in his death. Wilbanks testified at Boone's trial the three planned the robbery while high on drugs and said Boone intended to shoot McClendon. Boone and Lyons previously pleaded guilty in exchange to have the death penalty taken off the table and are both serving life sentences without the possibility of parole. Wilbanks was not offered a plea deal. Judge Andrew Howarth says the trial will continue Thursday morning at the Lafayette County Circuit Court.