In the early hours of March 21, 2024, the life of 43-year-old Willie Purifoy, a Black male, was cut short by violence in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Police responded to a call around 1 a.m. and discovered Purifoy inside a residence at 2702 South Ash Street. He had sustained gunshot wounds and was unresponsive. The Jefferson County Coroner pronounced him dead at the scene.
The investigation into the homicide led authorities to identify a suspect. On May 15, 2024, 41-year-old Stephen Peterson was formally charged with capital murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with Purifoy's death. According to a probable cause affidavit, a witness informed investigators that Purifoy and Peterson had been in an argument earlier in the day over a woman at a local Rally's restaurant.
The witness stated that the two men later went to the residence on Ash Street, where they allegedly used drugs together. The witness reported stepping outside and then hearing a gunshot. Shortly after, Peterson allegedly exited the house and said that he had shot Purifoy. The witness also claimed to have seen Peterson with a firearm but could not identify the type of weapon.
Stephen Peterson pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him. Following a jury trial that concluded on September 29, 2025, Peterson was acquitted on both the capital murder and the firearm possession charges. After the not guilty verdict, the judge signed an order for his conditional release from custody.
