In the small town of Edwards, Mississippi, the evening of March 24, 2018, took a tragic turn, forever altering the lives of two families. Clifton David Nelson, a 41-year-old Black man known for his energetic personality, was at the Champion Hill Grocery when he was shot in the side around 8:30 p.m. He was rushed to a hospital in Vicksburg but ultimately succumbed to his injuries, leaving a community in mourning.
The investigation into Nelson's death quickly pointed to a coworker,
50-year-old Willie Bingham. The two men were employed on a sanitation crew at Tyson Foods Inc. The day after the fatal shooting, Bingham, on the advice of his sisters, surrendered to the authorities. The Edwards Police Chief at the time, Torrence Mayfield, stated that Bingham admitted to the killing. To ensure objectivity in the investigation, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation was brought in to handle the case, a decision influenced by the fact that the victim was the brother of the Assistant Police Chief, Terrance Crump.
Willie Bingham was subsequently charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His legal journey culminated in a conviction for first-degree murder in Hinds County Circuit Court. For the shooting death of Clifton David Nelson, Bingham was sentenced to life in prison. The conviction brought a measure of closure to Nelson's grieving family, who remembered him as a man with a radiant smile.
