In the late summer of 2015, a tragedy unfolded in the Baertown community of McComb, Mississippi, forever altering the lives of a local family. On August 5th, 10-year-old Jadarrius K. Wilkinson, a young male, was at an apartment with four other children under the care of a relative, Willie J. Wilkinson Jr. What should have been a safe environment turned into a scene of devastating violence when Jadarrius was shot once in the head. The weapon used was a.
22-caliber handgun that had been reported stolen just a day prior to the incident.
Emergency services were called to the scene, but the young boy could not be saved. The immediate investigation led to the arrest of 37-year-old Willie J. Wilkinson Jr. Initially, he was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, as court records revealed a prior criminal history that included convictions for grand larceny auto and third-degree arson. As the investigation deepened, the charges against him were escalated to second-degree murder and possession of a stolen firearm.
Subsequently, a grand jury indicted Willie Wilkinson on the more severe charge of first-degree murder, in addition to the firearm possession charges. He was held at the Pike County Detention Center on a significant bond. The legal process culminated in Willie J. Wilkinson Jr. pleading guilty to second-degree murder and possession of a stolen firearm. For his role in the death of his young cousin, he was sentenced to serve 35 years in prison.
