Known as the life of the party with a smile that could brighten any room, Shandrick Montgomery was a beloved father, son, and brother. The 45-year-old Black man, who grew up in Louise, Mississippi, had moved to Vicksburg and worked at The Gumbo Pot. His family remembered him as someone who loved basketball, dancing, and above all, spending time with his children. He was the father of six children and had three grandchildren.
On the night of Tuesday, May 28, 2024, his life was cut short. At approximately 11:14 p.m., Vicksburg police officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Locust Street after a report of a shooting. When they arrived, they found Shandrick Montgomery lying in the street. He had been shot once in the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Vicksburg Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division launched an extensive investigation into the killing. Within days, authorities made two arrests.
Bernard Brown, then 58, was taken into custody and charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. His bond was set at $1,025,000. A second man, 32-year-old Sampson Sugar Bunch, was also arrested and charged with accessory after the fact.
Following the investigation, a Warren County grand jury formally indicted Bernard Brown on the charges of murder and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and the case proceeded to trial. The prosecution was handled by the Warren County District Attorney’s Office.
In late June 2026, Brown’s two-day trial was held in Warren County Circuit Court. Prosecutors presented evidence that included surveillance footage of the shooting and testimony from several law enforcement officers. After deliberating for about two hours, the jury returned a guilty verdict on both charges.
Immediately following the verdict, Judge Toni Terrett sentenced Bernard Brown to life in prison for the murder of Shandrick Montgomery. He received an additional 10-year sentence for the weapon charge. As of July 2026, Brown was being transferred to the Mississippi Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.
