In the small community of Baldwyn, Mississippi, the life of 35-year-old Gary Price was tragically cut short on the afternoon of January 22, 2019. Price, a Black male, was found lying in the street on Price Street, suffering from a gunshot wound. The incident, which unfolded around 2:30 p.m., sent shockwaves through the quiet town as residents learned of the violent act that had taken place.
Responding officers arrived to find Price still conscious and able to identify the person who had
shot him. He named 28-year-old Shawnzell McGee as his assailant, a revelation that pointed the investigation toward a long-standing feud between the two men. Although conscious when help arrived, Price's injuries proved to be fatal. His death was officially ruled a homicide, launching a thorough investigation by the Baldwyn Police Department.
Based on the victim's dying declaration and information from witnesses in the area, authorities quickly took Shawnzell McGee into custody. The investigation revealed that the fatal shooting was the culmination of a persistent and ongoing dispute between Price and McGee. Details of their disagreement were not publicly released, but it was clear that the animosity had reached a deadly breaking point.
In the wake of the shooting, the community of Baldwyn mourned the loss of a young life under such violent circumstances. The case proceeded through the judicial system, with Shawnzell McGee facing a charge of murder. In January 2025, nearly six years after the shooting, McGee's trial took place in Prentiss County. A jury found him guilty of the murder of Gary Price. In addition to the murder conviction, McGee was also found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following the verdict, the judge immediately sentenced Shawnzell McGee to life in prison, bringing a measure of closure to the family of Gary Price and the community.
