On a summer evening in Itta Bena, Mississippi, the life of 31-year-old Cordarious Williams, a male resident of the town, was brought to a violent and tragic end. On July 11, 2020, Williams was on George Street, in the familiar surroundings of his grandmother's house, when the fatal encounter occurred. He was found lying in the street, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds to which he succumbed at the scene.
The ensuing investigation by the Itta Bena Police and the Leflore County
Sheriff's Department swiftly identified a suspect. Witnesses at the scene described a harrowing sequence of events, stating that 23-year-old Jadarius Harris, also from Itta Bena, drove up in a vehicle and began firing at Williams. As Williams attempted to flee the assault, Harris allegedly exited his vehicle, pursued him on foot, and continued to shoot until Williams collapsed from his injuries.
Following the investigation, Jadarius Harris was arrested and charged in connection with the death of Cordarious Williams. In January 2023, Harris pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Leflore County Circuit Court. For his role in the shooting, he was sentenced to serve thirty years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Under the terms of his sentence for the murder conviction, Harris is not eligible for early release or parole. The resolution of the case brought a measure of closure to the family and friends of Cordarious Williams.
