On November 27, 2019, Courtney Dewayne Anderson, a 38-year-old Black / African American male, was fatally shot in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Police responded to a call at a residence on Halls Ferry Road where they discovered Anderson on the floor with a single gunshot wound to his chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation quickly led to a suspect, Jason Skinner, who was apprehended less than five hours after the shooting. Skinner had fled the scene, prompting a search by both Vicksburg Police and Warren County Sheriff's deputies. An alarm at Crossway Baptist Church on U.S. 61 South alerted law enforcement to his location. Officers surrounded the church and took Skinner into custody as he attempted to exit. A sawed-off shotgun, believed to be the murder weapon, was recovered.
Prosecutors stated that Skinner's motive stemmed from a mistaken belief that Anderson posed a threat to Skinner's former girlfriend. There were no words exchanged between the two men before Skinner shot Anderson. During his trial, Skinner claimed he acted in self-defense, stating he was in fear for his life. In May 2022, a jury found Jason Skinner guilty of first-degree murder after a four-day trial and a brief deliberation of only 15 minutes. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison.
