In the early morning hours of July 23, 2020, the quiet town of Sumner, Mississippi, was disturbed by a senseless act of violence that claimed the life of 44-year-old Adrian Wilchie, a Black/African American male. His body was discovered near his running pickup truck at a stop sign on Second Street in the Goose Pond subdivision, having been shot multiple times in the head with a 9 mm weapon. The motive for this brutal slaying was determined to be robbery, as Mr.
Wilchie's wallet was missing from the scene.
The investigation into Adrian Wilchie's death led law enforcement to two suspects, Quardero M. Gipson and Quincy Qutexz Scott. Both men were subsequently arrested and indicted on charges of capital murder and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. The case against them was strengthened by the discovery of two 9 mm handguns at a residence in Crowder where the pair was taken into custody. Forensic analysis of one of the pistols revealed traces of Wilchie's blood, directly linking it to the crime.
As the legal process unfolded, Quincy Scott, initially facing the same severe charges as his co-conspirator, chose to cooperate with the prosecution. In exchange for his testimony, he was offered a plea deal. In April 2021, Scott pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder, and the conspiracy charge against him was dismissed. His cooperation proved to be a pivotal element in the state's case against Gipson.
Quardero Gipson's trial commenced on October 31, 2022, at the Tallahatchie County Courthouse in Sumner. The prosecution's key witness was Quincy Scott, who testified that the motive behind the crime was robbery. After a trial that lasted several days and jury deliberations that spanned approximately three hours, Quardero M. Gipson was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit armed robbery on November 3, 2022. Following the verdict, Gipson engaged in a physical altercation with law enforcement officers as he was being escorted from the courtroom. While a sentencing date has not been scheduled, the first-degree murder conviction carries a maximum penalty of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
