In the summer of 2025, a quiet street in Brookhaven, Mississippi, became the scene of a grim discovery that would unravel into a homicide investigation. On Wednesday, July 16th, dispatchers received a call about an unresponsive male at a residence located at 989 Mallalieu Drive. Upon arrival, authorities found the body of 45-year-old Victor Sanders. The Lincoln County Coroner, Blake Wallace, was called to the scene and later determined that Sanders' death was the result of a homicide.
Sanders had been fatally shot in the throat and chest.
The investigation into the shooting death of Victor Sanders was a collaborative effort involving the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, the Coroner's Office, and the District Attorney's Office. Through their combined efforts, investigators were able to identify a suspect in the case. Less than a week after Sanders' body was discovered, law enforcement officers located and arrested 38-year-old Jerrell Andrew Thomas in Jackson, Mississippi. Thomas, who was known to have recently lived in Brookhaven but had a Jackson address listed at the time of his booking, was taken into custody on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.
Following his arrest, Jerrell Andrew Thomas was transported back to Lincoln County and formally charged with the first-degree murder of Victor Sanders. He was subsequently booked into the Lincoln County Jail. While an arrest has been made, Sheriff Steve Rushing has indicated that the investigation into the circumstances and motive surrounding the shooting is still active and ongoing. Authorities have not yet released further details about the events that led to the fatal encounter between Thomas and Sanders.
