A 39-year-old Black man, Willie Bacon, was fatally shot in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on the evening of November 5, 2017. The incident occurred near the Community Kitchen on Baldwin Street. When authorities arrived at the scene following a report of an unconscious person, they discovered Bacon, who had sustained a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Bacon's death quickly led to a suspect, Jamaal Mondrew Mayes.
A witness came forward and told police that Mayes had been at her residence, where he bragged about shooting someone earlier that day in the vicinity of the Community Kitchen. Following this lead, police took Mayes into custody. During questioning, Mayes confessed to the shooting, stating that the motive was an unpaid loan. The dispute was reportedly over a debt of more than $50.
Jamaal Mayes, who was 34 years old at the time of the murder, had an extensive and violent criminal history. His prior convictions included attempted rape of a child, attempted second-degree murder, and attempted especially aggravated robbery. He had only recently been released from prison before he killed Bacon.
In August 2021, a Hamilton County Criminal Court jury found Jamaal Mayes guilty of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. During the trial, a witness testified that Mayes had expressed a desire to shoot Bacon 'five or six more times' after delivering the fatal shot to his chest. Following the guilty verdict, Mayes was sentenced to a total of 48 years in prison, with 33 years for the murder conviction and an additional 15 years for the firearm charge.
