In the early morning hours of April 13, 2017, in Clarksville, Tennessee, the life of 39-year-old Marcellus Lamar Flynn was tragically cut short. Police responded to a report of gunshots fired at the Lincoln Homes subdivision on Ernest Shelton Drive around 1:40 a.m. Upon arrival, officers discovered Flynn suffering from a gunshot wound. He was quickly transported to Tennova Healthcare Clarksville, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
For years, the investigation into Flynn's death continued, becoming one of several unsolved murder cases in the area that police sought public assistance with in 2018. The case remained cold until January 2021, when Clarksville Police detectives announced a significant breakthrough. They charged 32-year-old William Harvey Ellis, also known as 'Streetz,' with criminal homicide for the 2017 shooting. At the time the charges were brought, Ellis was already incarcerated at the Montgomery County Jail for unrelated offenses.
Court records revealed the motive behind the fatal encounter. According to witness statements, on the day of the murder, Flynn and Ellis had been involved in an argument. One witness told investigators that Flynn had allegedly stolen two 'eight balls' of cocaine from Ellis. Another witness provided a chilling account of the moments just before the shooting, reporting they saw Ellis arrive in a car, lower the window, and shoot Flynn. Ellis had an extensive criminal history that preceded the murder charge, with various convictions for drug possession, aggravated assault, and other offenses.
