In the spring of 2024, a burst of gunfire shattered the afternoon calm in a Greenwood, Mississippi neighborhood, leaving a local man dead and a community searching for answers. On Monday, April 1, 42-year-old Accardo Willis was in front of a house at 118 Vardaman, located across the street from McLaurin Street Park, when he became the target of a drive-by shooting. Willis was struck multiple times and was rushed to the Greenwood Leflore Hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal. The shooting was one of two separate fatal incidents that occurred in Leflore County within a two-day span, heightening concerns about gun violence in the area.
The Greenwood Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the brazen daylight killing. Their efforts began to yield results within weeks. On April 16, authorities announced the arrest of 24-year-old Marquavious Cheeks, a resident of Greenwood. He was charged with murder, drive-by shooting, and shooting into a dwelling. His bond was set at $1.1 million. The investigation didn't stop there, as law enforcement believed others were involved in the fatal shooting.
Further developments in the case came swiftly. The Greenwood Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals, identified a second suspect, 26-year-old Detreka Thomas Jr. An arrest warrant for murder was issued for Thomas, who was considered armed and dangerous and was believed to have ties to Memphis, Tennessee. The U.S. Marshals Service offered a reward of up to $1,500 for information leading to his capture. In September 2025, Thomas turned himself in to the Leflore County Sheriff's Department. In addition to murder, he was also charged with drive-by shooting and shooting into an occupied dwelling. A third individual, Ondra Robinson, was also arrested and charged with accessory after the fact in connection with the murder, suggesting a wider conspiracy in the death of Accardo Willis.
