On a summer morning in Meridian, Mississippi, the life of Tonio Matthew was brought to a violent end. The 48-year-old Black male was discovered unresponsive at the intersection of 14th Street and 13th Avenue on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. When law enforcement and emergency medical personnel arrived, they determined that Matthew had been shot to death.
The Meridian Police Department immediately began a homicide investigation that led to an arrest the very next day. On July 12, authorities took 35-year-old Tommy Croft Jr. into custody, charging him with murder and grand larceny. A judge set his bond at $1 million for the murder charge and an additional $10,000 for the grand larceny charge. As the investigation progressed, a second person was implicated. On Saturday, July 22, 2023, police arrested 41-year-old Rolando McAllister and charged him with accessory after the fact to murder. His bond was set at $100,000.
In November 2023, a grand jury indicted Tommy Lee Croft Jr.
for Murder in the First Degree. His case went to trial in Lauderdale County, where prosecutors presented their evidence over four days. After hearing the testimony, the jury returned a guilty verdict, convicting Croft of the first-degree murder of Tonio Matthew.
Following the conviction, Circuit Court Judge Robert “Bo” Bailey sentenced Croft, then 38, to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The sentence was required because Croft was classified as a habitual offender, with prior felony convictions for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Burglary, and Burglary of a Dwelling. “Mr. Matthew’s death was the tragic result of reckless and senseless gun violence that has absolutely no place in our community,” said District Attorney Kassie Coleman. She noted that the verdict sent a message that “those who use firearms to injure or kill others will face the full force of the law.” The sentencing concluded the case against Croft in December 2025.
