In the quiet community of Duck Hill, Mississippi, a grim discovery brought a tragic end to the search for a missing man in November 2018. The body of 37-year-old Willie Hooper, a Black man, was found submerged in a well off Highway 404. An investigation swiftly determined that Hooper had been shot and killed before his body was disposed of in this secluded location.
The ensuing investigation unraveled a story of a personal dispute that escalated to a fatal confrontation.
Authorities identified three individuals in connection with Hooper's death: Monique Lott, her brother Mack Lott, and Marquize Tillmon. Investigators concluded that the motive was connected to a romantic entanglement, as Monique Lott was dating Hooper's ex-girlfriend. It was determined that Hooper was killed at a residence in rural Grenada County after going to visit his ex-girlfriend.
The three suspects were arrested and charged with capital murder. The legal proceedings that followed brought some measure of closure to Willie Hooper's family. In a trial that took place in March 2022, Monique Lott was sentenced to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder. During the trial, conflicting accounts emerged, with Lott's defense attorney arguing that Marquize Tillmon was the one who shot Hooper. However, the prosecution maintained that Lott was the instigator who enlisted the help of Tillmon and her brother.
Ultimately, Marquize Tillmon accepted a plea deal, receiving a 20-year sentence for manslaughter, with an additional five years for possession of a controlled substance while in jail. Mack Lott, who pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to murder, was sentenced to five years of probation for his role in the events following Hooper's death.
