Mobile man traveling home from California shot to death in parking lot of casino

D’Iberville Police are searching for this vehicle, seen in surveillance video leaving the scene of the fatal shooting at Scarlet Pearl on Wednesday morning. (D’Iberville Police)

Nicholaus Craig was heading back to Mobile from California to see his family.

The Mobile, Alabama native had moved to California and had not been home in a few years. He wanted to see his mom.

Tuesday, he decided to stop at Scarlet Pearl Casino with a friend and celebrate his 36th birthday.

He never made it home.

Early Wednesday morning, he left his hotel room at the casino and stepped outside to the parking lot. He was in his car when he was shot once and killed, Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer said.

Chief Shannon Nobles confirmed the shooting that happened about 2 a.m.

Nobles said the suspect was in a vehicle that is possibly an older model, dark blue Nissan Ultima that is missing a rear bumper with a switched Alabama tag of 2CW6059.

Police are asking that if anyone sees that vehicle to call D’Iberville Police at 228-396-4252.

Craig’s brother, Gabriel, posted about his brother to social media this morning, saying someone with a gun took his brother from him and his family just after he’d celebrated his birthday.

“I spoke to you just hours before your were gone … You planned to come visit us before you went back to California. You live in me every day,” Gabriel Craig wrote.