In the small community of Palmetto in Pickens County, Alabama, the life of Jackie Jermaine Willis, a 41-year-old African American man, was cut short on the evening of January 2, 2025. Known affectionately by friends and family as “Jack Will,” “Maine,” and “Head,” Willis was a father, fiancé, and a graduate of South Lamar High School. He was a forklift driver, having worked for several companies, and was a member of the Underground Riders Motorcycle Club.
On that Thursday
night, outside a home on Water Mill Road, an altercation broke out. Around 9:30 p.m., the dispute escalated to gunfire. Emergency responders arrived to find Willis critically injured. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was later sent to Montgomery for an autopsy to officially determine the cause of death.
The investigation into the shooting led law enforcement to a suspect, Russell Douglas Beede, a 23-year-old from Fayette. Willis and Beede were both visitors at the residence where the fatal confrontation occurred. Following the incident, Beede fled the scene. A vehicle description was quickly relayed to surrounding law enforcement agencies. Approximately 15 minutes later, a high-speed crash helped authorities to swiftly locate and apprehend Beede.
District Attorney Andy Hamlin confirmed that Beede was taken into custody on the night of the shooting and has since been charged with murder. The rapid arrest was credited to the effective collaboration between the different law enforcement agencies involved. Funeral services for Jackie Willis were held at the New Grove Baptist Church in Kennedy, Alabama, and he was laid to rest at the Holly Grove M.B. Church Cemetery.
