A 19-year-old Mississippi resident, Le’Andrew Williams, has been handed a 35-year prison sentence, followed by five years of post-release supervision, for the first-degree murder of his mother’s boyfriend. The sentencing was announced on Tuesday by Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens via social media. Williams was convicted for the murder of 49-year-old Jimmie Lee Pierce Jr., who was shot in May 2022 outside his apartment complex in Jackson.
At the time of the incident, Williams was only 15 years old and was one of three individuals apprehended in relation to Pierce’s death. Court documents reveal that Williams had developed a grudge against Pierce, who was in a relationship with his mother. The animosity escalated to the point where Williams decided to confront Pierce.
Reports from WJTV, a local CBS affiliate, indicate that Williams had been scrutinizing his mother’s phone and discovered explicit text exchanges between her and Pierce. This discovery fueled his anger and led to the fatal confrontation. Initially, Williams had intended to rob Pierce at his residence, enlisting the help of his cousin, 22-year-old Corey Hodge, and uncle, 27-year-old Bonny Fields.
According to a witness account reported by WAPT, a local ABC affiliate, on May 16, 2022, Williams and Hodge approached Pierce and demanded his wallet. When Pierce responded that he had nothing, Williams shot him twice in the chest. Pierce succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to a nearby hospital.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Williams, Hodge, and Fields turned themselves in to the police. Williams and Hodge were charged with capital murder, while Fields was charged as an accessory after the fact. Williams later entered a guilty plea to the charge of first-degree murder.