Shooting victim’s family marches for justice three years later
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Years after Willie Dickerson Jr was killed in Lowndes County, his family is still searching for answers.
On Tuesday, they went to the place where he was shot in July 2022.
“We came from Tennessee because we want justice for Willie. We want justice for my nephew, Willie Dickerson,” said Patricia Beasley, an aunt of Willie.
On July 9, 2022, 20-year-old Willie Dickerson was killed on the 300 block of Swedenburg Circle.
The Jackson, Tennessee, man was visiting his girlfriend when the shooting happened.
“He was out here by himself. He didn’t know anybody out here. Nobody. He was out here with somebody, and this happened,” said Carolyn Dickerson, the stepmother of Willie.
The family said Willie was planning to come home the next morning.
Willie’s father, Willie Dickerson Sr., was on the phone with his son the night before he was killed.
“He directly called me. He said ‘Hey pops, how you doing?’ The last words we always said (was) ‘I love you.’ I told him ‘I love you’ and the next night, I got the call that he was dead,” said Willie Dickerson, Sr.
People were charged in the case.
However, a Lowndes County Grand Jury declined to indict them in 2023.
“This case has been presented to a grand jury, and we have not received an indictment. The evidence that we have on this case is circumstantial evidence. And we’re having a tough time to get the community to operate and give us information,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins.
Sheriff Hawkins and Dickerson’s family hopes the walk will spark action from the community to speak up.
“At times, it’s hard to get people to open up and tell law enforcement information. And that’s a tough thing about a case like this. When we don’t have enough information to seek an indictment, it makes it hard to prosecute a case like this,” said Hawkins.
Prosecutors also want to help Dickerson’s family find closure.
“We have situations like that going around this day and age a lot. And just being able from the DA’s office to come out and support the families to let them know that they have somebody that has their back and looking out for the best interest and want to get justice for them,” said Criminal Investigator Emmitt Johnson, Jr.
“We can’t find peace until this is done and we’re asking for the community’s help,” said Beasley.
This is still an ongoing investigation.
The Dickerson family plans to protest in years to come until justice is served.
If you have any information on the case, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at (662) 328-6788 or Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 1-800-530-7151.
There is a $10,000 reward for helping provide evidence.
