In the summer of 2015, the quiet life of 69-year-old Sharen Wilson of Vicksburg, Mississippi, came to a brutal and unexpected end. Her death, a shocking event in the small city, began to unfold after police in the nearby town of Leland pulled over a vehicle that was later identified as belonging to Wilson. Inside the car were Raphael McCloud, 33, and his nephew, Akeem McCloud, 20.
The discovery of a stolen firearm in the vehicle and the fact that the car was stolen prompted Leland police to contact the Vicksburg Police Department.
Upon visiting Sharen Wilson's home to conduct a welfare check, Vicksburg police found the house ransacked, raising immediate concerns for her safety. The investigation into her disappearance was short-lived, as a group of ghost hunters exploring the notoriously eerie and abandoned Kuhn Memorial State Hospital stumbled upon a grim discovery. In the tall brush just outside the old hospital, they found a body, which was later identified as Sharen Wilson. Evidence at the scene, including a trail of blood, suggested she had been dragged from the building to the location where her body was ultimately found. An autopsy would later reveal that she had suffered trauma to her head.
The investigation quickly focused on Raphael McCloud, who had a prior connection to Wilson, having done yard work for her at her home. Authorities believe that on the night of her death, McCloud, who was an escaped convict, broke into her home, sexually assaulted her, and then beat her to death before transporting her body to the abandoned hospital. He reportedly admitted to some involvement in the crime. Based on the evidence gathered, police charged Raphael McCloud with murder. His nephew, Akeem McCloud, was also taken into custody as police investigated his potential involvement and alibi.
