On the evening of April 11, 2015, authorities in Greenville, Mississippi, were called to a scene of violence outside the Shop and Save Store located at 494 North Edison Street. It was there that officers discovered 40-year-old male Darryl Harris suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the severity of his injuries, Harris was still conscious when first responders arrived and was able to communicate a crucial piece of evidence.
Before succumbing to his injuries and passing away on April 12, 2015, he identified the man responsible for the shooting to the officers at the scene.
Acting on the dying declaration provided by the victim, the Greenville Police Department launched an immediate investigation into the whereabouts of the identified suspect, Leroy McCullar. The information provided by Harris proved vital, allowing law enforcement to locate and apprehend McCullar the very next day. Following his arrest, the suspect was initially charged with First Degree Murder for the death of Harris, as investigators built a case based on the victim's final words and the evidence collected from the storefront location.
Nearly two years after the fatal shooting, the legal proceedings against Leroy McCullar came to a conclusion in the Washington County Circuit Court. Although he was originally scheduled to stand trial, McCullar elected to plead guilty to a reduced charge of Second Degree Murder on February 21, 2017. During the hearing, he admitted to his role in shooting and killing Harris. The presiding judge sentenced him to 35 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with the stipulation that he serve 30 years without the possibility of early release or parole, followed by five years of probation. The District Attorney noted at the time that McCullar had been considered a menace to the community for over a decade prior to this conviction.
