In the early morning hours of the day before Thanksgiving in 2019, the city of Greenwood, Mississippi, was rocked by a burst of gunfire that would claim the life of 40-year-old Donald Spells. Shortly before 8 a.m. on November 27th, Spells was fatally shot in the vicinity of McLaurin and Roosevelt streets, marking the third deadly shooting in the city within a harrowing four-day period.
Responding to a call about a gunshot victim, officers from the Greenwood Police Department arrived at the Greenwood-Leflore Hospital where they were informed the shooting had occurred in the 600 block of Roosevelt Street. At the scene, witnesses identified James Leahman, also known as 'Red,' as the individual responsible for the shooting. Tragically, Donald Spells succumbed to his injuries later that same day.
The subsequent investigation, aided by a surveillance video recovered a few days after the incident, painted a grim picture of the final moments of Spells' life. The footage, along with trial testimony, revealed that an unarmed Spells was lured out of his vehicle by Leahman. As soon as he exited his car, Spells was shot three times. Leahman then fled the scene on foot.
Justice for Donald Spells came to a close in a Leflore County Circuit Court. On August 8, 2025, a jury found James Leahman guilty of both First-Degree Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Subsequently, on October 15, 2025, Leahman was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Donald Spells, with an additional ten-year sentence for the firearm charge. The Spells family, who had been a constant presence throughout the legal proceedings, was in the courtroom to witness the sentencing.
