In the late hours of a Saturday night in Perry, Georgia, on July 24, 2021, a 77-year-old Black male named Willie Jacox was found deceased in his vehicle. Police responded to a 'shots fired' call around 11:15 p.m. near the Mason Terrace Apartments and discovered Mr. Jacox in the driver's seat, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene, which was later clarified to be in the roadway of Mason Terrace Road, not on the apartment grounds.
Witnesses reported seeing a male and a female walking away from the area quickly after the gunshots were heard. Responding officers soon located two individuals matching the descriptions. They were identified as 19-year-old Cornelius Reyshawn Wallace Murray of Americus and 18-year-old Natajah Sincere Culpepper of Centerville. A 9mm pistol was found in a backpack they were carrying, and officers noted the smell of gunpowder emanating from it.
The shell casings found at the scene were a match to a bullet still in the pistol.
Further investigation revealed that both Murray and Culpepper were involved in the homicide. Culpepper, who affectionately called Jacox 'Pops' and would receive help from him with money and rides, had called him that day to meet her on Mason Terrace. When Mr. Jacox arrived, Murray approached the driver's side of the vehicle and fired multiple shots, killing him as he sat inside. Murray stated to investigators that he felt the victim had disrespected him in the past and that he was overcome with anger when he shot Mr. Jacox. Another source indicated that Murray felt disrespected by Jacox talking with his girlfriend, Culpepper. Early indications from law enforcement suggested that robbery might have been a motive, though the suspects and the victim were known to each other.
Both Cornelius Murray and Natajah Culpepper were arrested and taken to the Houston County Detention Center. Murray was charged with murder, while Culpepper was charged with murder-party to a crime. In subsequent legal proceedings, both were indicted on charges of malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault. On March 3, 2023, Natajah Culpepper pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years, with 20 of those to be served in the Department of Corrections. At her sentencing, she expressed remorse and asked the Jacox family for forgiveness. Cornelius Murray pleaded guilty to malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. He later attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, but the Georgia Supreme Court upheld the sentence.
