Shirley Williams

Shirley Jean Hollie Williams, a lifelong resident of Jackson, Mississippi, was born on October 25, 1948, to her parents, Jody Hollie and Clonia Brown. At 75 years old, she was a mother and grandmother, a woman whose life was tragically cut short in the city she had always called home.

On the late afternoon of Thursday, July 11, 2024, police were called to the Addison Place Apartments in the 3100 block of Robinson Street. Inside one of the units, they made a devastating discovery. Shirley Williams and her 50-year-old husband, Fredrick Williams, had both been shot to death. Officers found Shirley in a bed and Fredrick in the hallway of their apartment. Both were pronounced dead at the scene just after 5:00 p.m.

The initial investigation by the Jackson Police Department revealed no signs of forced entry into the couple’s home. This detail led investigators, including JPD Chief Joseph Wade, to believe that the victims may have known their killer or felt comfortable enough to let them inside. The motive for the brutal double homicide was not immediately clear, leaving a cloud of unanswered questions over the west Jackson apartment complex. The day after the discovery, police announced they had identified a person of interest but did not publicly release a name as they continued to gather evidence.

As the investigation progressed, Shirley and Fredrick's loved ones were left to grapple with their sudden and violent loss. They gathered outside the Addison Place Apartments to hold a balloon release, honoring the couple with candles and shared memories. The pain was palpable as family members spoke to local news. "It hits hard. It hurts, it hurts bad," one relative said, their voice heavy with grief. "We just really need some closure with this... we need y'all, JPD, to find out who done this so we can get some real rest, so our grandmother, mother, can get some real rest behind this."

Public visitation for Shirley was held on Friday, July 26, 2024, at Westhaven Funeral Home on Robinson Road, allowing friends and community members to pay their respects. Her funeral service took place the following day at Salem M.B. Church in Terry, Mississippi, where she was later laid to rest in the church cemetery.

For months, the case remained under active investigation. Then, in a significant development, the Jackson Police Department announced an arrest. Detectives took 36-year-old Jimmy Lee Davis Jr. into custody, charging him with two counts of murder for the deaths of Shirley and Fredrick Williams. While an arrest has been made, authorities have stated that the investigation is ongoing.

The case remains a painful memory for a family still seeking justice. As of the latest reports, the legal proceedings against the suspect are pending. The Jackson Police Department and Crime Stoppers have continued to ask for the public’s help, encouraging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward. They can be reached at (601) 960-1234 or (601) 355-TIPS (8477).