In the quiet, early morning hours of May 31, 2016, a call for help broke the stillness in Hope, Arkansas, dispatching officers and paramedics to a residence on West Avenue E. Inside, they found Willie James Gulley, a 60-year-old male, suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the efforts of emergency responders, Mr. Gulley was pronounced dead by the Hempstead County Coroner at approximately 1:29 a.m.
Initially, information provided to the police by a witness suggested that Gulley's death
was the result of a self-inflicted wound. However, as investigators began to examine the physical evidence within the home, a different and more sinister narrative began to emerge. The scene did not align with a suicide, prompting criminal investigators to take over the case, which was now being treated as a homicide.
The investigation uncovered a tense domestic situation within the residence, which was shared by three brothers. Authorities believe that an argument erupted between Willie Gulley and his 70-year-old brother, Lee T. Momon. The verbal dispute escalated tragically, culminating in Momon allegedly shooting Gulley with a handgun. Based on the evidence gathered, Lee T. Momon was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He was taken into custody and transported to the Hempstead County Law Enforcement Center Detention Facility to await legal proceedings.
