On the evening of May 13, 2024, in Gulfport, Mississippi, a violent encounter cut short the life of 21-year-old Lorenzo Stennis Jr. Stennis, a Black male, was one of two young men who died from gunshot wounds that night. The incident unfolded in the 800 block of 27th Street, where Stennis, along with 18-year-old Temi Lawal and 17-year-old Lawrence Corley IV, were allegedly involved in an attempted armed robbery of a residence.
During the commission of the robbery, the homeowners
confronted the trio and, in an act of self-defense, fired upon them. Lawal was fatally wounded at the scene, while Stennis sustained multiple gunshot wounds. In the immediate aftermath, Corley reportedly drove Stennis to a local hospital for medical attention. However, the severity of his injuries proved to be too great, and Lorenzo Stennis Jr. succumbed to his wounds. The homeowners who discharged their weapons were not charged by the authorities, as the act was deemed to be in defense of their lives and property.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly led to the arrest of the sole survivor of the alleged robbery attempt, Lawrence Corley IV. On May 15, 2024, the Gulfport Police Department took the 17-year-old into custody. Due to his alleged involvement in the planning and execution of the armed robbery that resulted in the deaths of his two companions, Corley was charged with two counts of capital murder. He was subsequently transported to the Harrison County Adult Detention Center, where a judge set his bond at $2 million.
The case against Lawrence Corley IV represents a unique legal situation where an individual is charged with murder for the deaths of his alleged co-conspirators during the commission of a felony. At the time of his death, Lorenzo Stennis Jr. had a pending charge against him from an earlier incident in January of the same year, where he was one of four men charged in a shooting at a party. The tragic end to his life is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of gun violence and criminal activity. There have been no further public updates on the legal proceedings involving Lawrence Corley IV since his initial arrest and the setting of his bond.
