In a tragic event that shattered the morning calm of a Starkville, Mississippi Walmart, Dr. Shauna Witt, a 42-year-old female optometrist, was fatally shot on January 13, 2018. The beloved eye doctor was attending to a patient inside her clinic at the Walmart Vision Center when her ex-boyfriend, William Thomas “Tommy” Chisholm, then 41, entered the establishment.
The situation quickly escalated into a violent confrontation that ended her life.
The relationship between Witt and Chisholm had been tumultuous, described as an 'on-again, off-again' romance. In the time leading up to the fatal encounter, Witt had taken legal steps to protect herself, securing a restraining order against Chisholm. He was already facing a felony malicious mischief charge for destroying some of her clothing and personal items just a month prior. Despite these precautions, Chisholm sought her out at her workplace. Employees at the clinic had been instructed to call 911 if he ever appeared, and they did so upon his arrival.
Chisholm forced his way into the examination room where Witt was with a patient and her young daughter. A struggle ensued, and as Dr. Witt attempted to flee, Chisholm shot her multiple times in the back. She collapsed near the clinic's entrance and died shortly after at a local hospital. Police officers who were already en route to the scene following the employees' 911 call apprehended Chisholm in the Walmart parking lot after a brief struggle.
William Thomas Chisholm was charged with capital murder. During his trial in July 2021, his defense attorney argued for a not guilty verdict by reason of insanity. However, the expert witness they called to testify about Chisholm's mental state was deemed unqualified by the court. The prosecution built a strong case, and after a four-day trial, the jury deliberated for only 26 minutes before finding Chisholm guilty of capital murder. At the request of Dr. Witt's family, who wished to avoid a lengthy legal process, prosecutors did not seek the death penalty. Consequently, Chisholm was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His subsequent appeals were denied, with the Mississippi Supreme Court upholding the capital murder conviction in June 2023.
