Austin Joel Edwards, an 11-year-old male, tragically lost his life on Sunday, May 28, 2017, in what has been described as a devastating shooting spree in Bogue Chitto and Brookhaven, Mississippi. The young boy was a sixth-grade student at Lipsey Middle School at the time of his death. His funeral services were held on Saturday, June 3, 2017, at Alexander Junior High School Auditorium in Brookhaven, and he was laid to rest at New Zion-Norfield Cemetery in Bogue Chitto.
The violent rampage
that claimed Austin's life also resulted in the deaths of seven other individuals, including a Lincoln County deputy sheriff. The victims spanned multiple locations, leaving a community in mourning. The other victims were identified as Deputy William Durr, Barbara Mitchell, Toccarra May, Brenda May, Jordan Blackwell, Farrell Dishon Burage, and Sheila Burage.
In the aftermath of the killings, a suspect, Willie Cory Godbolt, was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged in connection with the eight fatalities. The case proceeded through the legal system, and in February 2020, Willie Cory Godbolt was convicted on all counts, including four counts of capital murder, four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of armed robbery. Following his conviction, a jury sentenced him to receive the death penalty for the capital murder charges.
