On a spring afternoon in Greenwood, Mississippi, a burst of gunfire ended the life of a local resident. Accardo Willis, a 42-year-old Black man, was standing in front of a house at 118 Vardaman Street on Monday, April 1, 2024. The location was just across the street from McLaurin Street Park. Suddenly, a drive-by shooting targeted him.
Willis was struck multiple times in the attack. He was rushed to Greenwood Leflore Hospital for emergency treatment, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead. The shooting was one of two separate fatal incidents to occur in Leflore County within a two-day period, raising concerns about violence in the community.
The Greenwood Police Department, led by Police Chief Terrence Craft, immediately began an investigation into the daylight shooting. Their work led to a significant development just over two weeks later. On Wednesday, April 17, U.S. Marshals apprehended 19-year-old Keldrick Jackson in connection with the crime.
The Greenwood Police Department subsequently charged Jackson with murder in the death of Accardo Willis, and he was booked into the Leflore County Jail.
Believing others were involved, law enforcement continued to pursue leads. The U.S. Marshals Service, along with the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, also announced they were searching for another suspect, 26-year-old Detreka Thomas, who was wanted on a murder charge for the shooting. Authorities described Thomas as being 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds, with ties to both Greenwood and Memphis, Tennessee. As of April 2024, one suspect was in custody while authorities continued to seek at least one other person of interest in the case.
