In the early evening of September 19, 2019, in Indianola, Mississippi, the life of 31-year-old Mario Terell Applewhite, a Black male, was tragically cut short. Just after 6:30 p.m., at the intersection of Bates Avenue and Walker Street, gunshots rang out, leaving Applewhite with multiple gunshot wounds to his back. First responders arrived to find him unresponsive, and despite their efforts to revive him, he succumbed to his injuries. His vehicle, which he had been driving north on Bates, had rolled forward approximately 150 feet and crashed into a light pole after he was shot.
The Indianola Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division immediately began an investigation into the shooting. Investigators at the scene discovered two sets of shell casings, suggesting the presence of more than one shooter. Whispers among the onlookers pointed to two individuals: Gereal Galloway and Lexus James. While many potential witnesses were hesitant to provide formal statements, detectives were able to secure nearby video surveillance footage that captured the entire incident. The footage showed Applewhite driving his car as Galloway and James walked towards him from the opposite direction. As they neared his vehicle, both men began firing. The video captured the harrowing moments as Applewhite attempted to flee his car before collapsing to the ground, with the shooters continuing to fire before fleeing the scene on foot.
The investigation quickly led to the arrest of Gereal Scott Galloway, then 21 years old, the day after the shooting. A forensic analysis of the clothing he was wearing in the video revealed the presence of gunshot residue. Lexus James was apprehended a month later. During questioning, James denied any involvement, claiming he was not at the scene nor with Galloway on that day. After being released on bail, James was later arrested in central Mississippi on an unrelated charge. At the time of this subsequent arrest, he was in possession of a firearm that was later matched to the shell casings found at the scene of Applewhite's murder.
Lexus James, 34, was ultimately convicted of First Degree Murder. At his trial, prosecutors presented the surveillance video, the murder weapon found in James's possession, and testimony from responding officers, investigators, and an eyewitness who saw him running from the scene. Gereal Galloway was also indicted for the murder of Mario Applewhite. Following the initial arrest of Galloway, he was being held on a $1 million bond. More recent reports indicate that Gereal Galloway is currently at-large, and law enforcement is seeking information on his whereabouts so his case can proceed to trial.
