In the late hours of a Tuesday in Moss Point, Mississippi, the quiet of the 3600 block of Howze Street was shattered by violence. On August 6, 2024, police were called to a residence where they discovered the body of 43-year-old Dwan Williams. A Black male, Williams had been fatally shot inside his own home. The Moss Point Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation into his death.
Dwan Williams, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, was a man who loved his family and friends. He attended Pascagoula High School, where he played on the 'Panthers' football team. He later earned an electrical certificate and was a proud employee at MMR. He was known for his love of conversation and his unwavering belief in his own perspectives, often telling others to 'Just Listen'. His death left a significant void in the lives of his wife, Taryn Kyles-Williams, his parents, and his numerous children, grandchildren, siblings, and other relatives. The tragedy was compounded by the fact that he was preceded in death by a son and a daughter.
The investigation into Williams' murder progressed, and about a month later, authorities announced significant developments. On September 10, 2024, Moss Point Police Chief Brandon Ashley confirmed the arrests of two suspects in connection with the homicide. Lorenzo Patterson Jr., 24, was taken into custody on September 7 and charged with accessory after the fact to capital murder. Two days later, on September 9, 30-year-old Ronald Polk Jr. was arrested by Gulfport Police. Both men are residents of Moss Point.
Polk was subsequently charged with capital murder for his alleged role in Dwan Williams' death. Following their arrests, both Patterson and Polk were held at the Jackson County Adult Detention Center without bond. While the motive for the shooting was not immediately released, the arrests brought a sense of hope for justice to the grieving family and the shaken Moss Point community.
