In November 2015, the life of Samuel Andrew Johnson Jr. of Ripley, Tennessee, was tragically cut short. The male victim was at Keeley's Entertainment Center located at 137 Watkins Street in Ripley when the fatal incident occurred. An investigation into the homicide was launched by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Ripley Police Department at the request of the 25th District Attorney General.
Through the course of their investigation, authorities identified Jessie James
Somerville as the individual responsible for shooting and killing Johnson. The investigation led to a grand jury indictment against Somerville on October 2, 2017. He was charged with First Degree Murder and Felony Reckless Endangerment for his alleged role in Johnson's death.
Following the indictment, Jessie James Somerville was arrested on October 9, 2017. At the time of his arrest for the murder charge, Somerville was already an inmate at the Morgan County Correctional Complex. He was subsequently booked into the Lauderdale County Jail and held without bond.
